


Snowflakes among Stars

by LadyLionhart



Category: Frozen (2013), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama & Romance, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Jack Feels, Light Angst, Queen Elsa, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-02-14 09:06:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 63,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2185881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLionhart/pseuds/LadyLionhart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two beings, one human, one ageless, are bound together through their similar natures - but while the queen fights against herself, the spirit long-since embraced the way of winter. Will he be able to help her find her place in the world, or will she forever be cursed with fear? A story of unbreakable love, family and friendship – and at the core, learning to believe in oneself.  (Jack x Elsa; Anna x Kristoff)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Disclaimer:** I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood or Frozen. This fanfiction was written out of love for the orginal works, and is purely for entertainment purposes. I'm not making money by writing this fanfiction, nor am I profiting from it in any way. 
> 
> **Please note:** Jack looks like a young man of 19 or 20 in this fic.

* * *

 Out of the bosom of the Air,

Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,

Over the woodlands brown and bare,

Over the harvest-fields forsaken,

Silent, and soft, and slow

Descends the snow.

 This is the poem of the air,

Slowly in silent syllables recorded;

This is the secret of despair,

Long in its cloudy bosom hoarded,

Now whispered and revealed

To wood and field.

  _Snowflakes by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_

* * *

 

The sky was fading into shades of lavender and rose as the sun descended towards the flaming edges of the horizon. Two figures, seated atop the roof of Castle Arendelle, watched the scene in silence. Their hair - the colour of snow in starlight - caught the last rays of the sun and gleamed like finely spun gold.

The smaller of the two, a young girl of about eight, wrung her tiny fingers excitedly in her lap, trying her very best to remain quiet and still. _Be patient. Just for a few moments longer…_

Her ice-blue eyes looked up at the boy at her side, waiting. He was still watching the sunset, his neutral expression revealing nothing of the amusement he was feeling on the inside. He knew she was hard pressed to contain her excitement; he could almost feel her buzzing with energy. Keeping his gaze focused, he waited for that perfect moment, when the sun was just at the right place upon the horizon…

Slowly, the boy rose to his feet, his royal-blue cape swaying in the breeze. He sent a quick glance down at the little girl, his lips tipping into an amused smirk. "Ready?" he asked, holding out his hand to help her up. Her delicate fingers grabbed onto his icy cold touch, and as she came to her feet, she purposely smoothed down her skirts, forcing herself not to jump up and down from pure elation.

"I've been ready since last year, Jack!"

A giggle escaped her lips, and then she fell into a hushed silence, gaze drawn to where the ocean had turned into liquid gold, gleaming brighter than any crown or jewel.

And in that moment, just before the world was cast into twilight, the very last rays of the sun touching the tips of the towers, the silver-haired boy raised the staff he carried. With a single flick of his wrist, a spray of snowflakes burst over their heads, glittering in the remaining sunlight like a million shooting stars.

"Oh!" the girl exclaimed, no longer able to keep the wonder from bubbling out of her. She clapped her hands together, watching as Jack's magic filled the sky. "It's so pretty! So beautiful! Just like stars!"

Laughter and smiles spilled forth from her as her wide, innocent eyes drank in the wondrous sight, and Jack could not help but laugh as well. Slowly, the snowflakes started to drift down all around them, and she twirled in a circle as she caught one after the other, watching them rest upon her pale skin for a moment before they melted in her palm.

As the last sunlight faded away, heaven's own stars appeared, twinkling like diamonds. Jack was still watching his tiny friend though, his chest filling with unequalled warmth as she smiled up at him.

Together, they raised their eyes to the sky and watched as Jack's snowflakes got caught in the breeze, until one could no longer tell star from snowflake.

The two settled down upon the roof again. Silently, the little girl lifted her palm and closed her eyes for a moment, smiling softly as ribbons of blue and silver light spilled forth from her hand, dusting her skin with tiny, icy snowflakes. As her lashes fluttered open, the light receded, and in her delicate hand lay a perfect crocus, sculpted wholly from ice.

She grabbed Jack's hand, and laid it in his palm.

"A flower this time, hm?"

"It's a _crocus_ , Jack. Not just any old flower. It's Arendelle's crest, and it symbolises spring and hope."

Jack's mouth quirked into a playful grin. "And what are you hoping for, Princess?"

The girl smiled calmly up at him. "That you'll be my friend, forever and always."

"You know I will."

"You have to _promise_ , Jack."

"Alright," he laughed. "I solemnly promise, that as long as you believe in me, _and in yourself_ , that I will always be your friend. And that I'll watch over you, so that you'd never have to be alone, or afraid."

He grinned. "How does that sound?"

The girl thought for a moment.

"So… you'll be like my guardian angel?"

Jack's grin curved into a smirk. "Guardian I can do, not so sure about the angel part."

She laughed. " _Guardian_ then?"

"Yes. But only if you promise too."

Her smile grew wide upon her innocent face.

"I promise, that I will always believe in you."

" _And_?"

"And in myself!"

Jack chuckled, and affectionately ruffled the girl's hair. "Happy birthday, Elsa."

The princess smiled up at him. "Thank you, Jack."

 


	2. Raging Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter includes a scene from Frozen, but it's an important point for the rest of this story. From the next chapter onwards, the story diverges from the movie.

_13 Years later. Somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere…_

As far as the eye could see, the earth lay cloaked in a starlit blanket of snow. Crisp and undisturbed, it shimmered in the milky light of the heavens; cold, breathtaking… _Beautiful_.

His creation, his masterpiece… He would never tell another soul, but a quiet night like this, peaceful and clear of any raging storm, these were the times he enjoyed his life the most. Blizzards were fun, certainly, but to watch from the very tip-top of a towering mountain, and look down upon the vast expanse of icy lakes, and rolling hills, all perfectly pristine in winter's touch - _that_ was something.

The figure, silent atop his perch, leaned lightly against a wooden staff clutched in his right hand. Eyes the shade of iridescent sapphires, gazed at the world as the slightest breeze tug at his winter-blue cloak. With a small smile upon his lips, his eyes drifted to the great bowl of the sky and met with the sight of the magnificent, silver Moon.

For once, Jack Frost, spirit of Winter, did not feel the familiar flare of agitation as he looked at the Moon. Perhaps it was due to the peace he found when he gazed upon the tranquil, snow-covered earth. Or perhaps he was simply reaching a point where he no longer cared to cast questions or insults at the unresponsive sky. Whatever his reasoning, tonight he was content to not ponder over his solitary existence or wonder why the Moon would not speak to him. To ignore the ever-aching longing pulsing just beneath his frozen breastbone… Tonight, he could simply _be_.

With a flick of his wrist, Jack conjured a sparkling snowflake, watching it twirl outward from the center of his palm before it was caught in the breeze and swept away, up in to the sky. Higher and higher it went, soaring across the width of the Moon, and for a single moment, just before it disappeared from his view, the snowflake shimmered brightly, as though it had found a place among the stars.

Somewhere inside, a long-suppressed memory flared to life.

And then, something changed.

A strange sensation unfolded at the back of his mind; a niggling feeling. Just persistent enough to inform him something wasn't right. A frown dipped between his dark brows and he scanned his surroundings, wondering if it was perhaps another's presence he sensed. But he was entirely alone, a solitary figure on the mountain top. Yet the sensation did not cease, and he was sure that it was getting stronger, almost as though it was pulling him in a certain direction.

It was coming from the north, but that in itself meant little to him.

An irritated huff of breath escaped the spirit's lips. Rising to his feet, he summoned the wind, and as the force of nature rose up around him, howling through the cliffs, Jack leaped into its cool embrace. "Come on, wind, let's see what's going on."

 _Something_ was happening… something strange. And he intended to find out what it was.

Through the night, Jack soared across the earth, passing over oceans and mountains, lakes and fields, until finally he could sense that he was drawing closer… Closer to the disturbance. He was very far north now, sweeping through the pleasant, summer air as he briefly glanced down to watch his reflection in the smooth, calm ocean rushing by beneath him.

When his eyes flicked back up, he noticed storm clouds gathering in the far distance; billowing and turbulent. He increased his pace, frowning sharply as he felt the pull growing stronger.

As he came closer, the sky turned grey overhead, and in the next moment, snowflakes were swirling all around him in a flurry of white and ice-blue.

Jack stopped in mid-air.

"What the-" he called out, his gaze fixed upon the flurries of snow being carried across the water, coming from the direction of the ferocious gale.

"Snow?"

It was summer in the northern hemisphere! How could it be snowing? _He_ certainly wasn't creating these flurries!

With eyes trained upon the churning storm, Jack raced onwards, the wind gusting past his ears. He felt the steep drop in temperature, the blizzard growing fiercer by the moment as he drew closer and closer to its heart. Snow was blowing all around him, so hard that he couldn't see more than a few feet ahead.

_What is going on here?_

This was the type of blizzard he only conjured in the very depths of winter, in the coldest and harshest places of the earth. But here it was - a raging tempest in the middle of summer! Surely Mother Nature would have informed him if she was intent on creating such a storm where there should be nothing but clear, blue skies and sunny days? She'd never intervened with his work to such an extent before.

But something told him it couldn't be her. It was his own senses, imbued with the ways of Winter, that had picked up on the imbalance of the seasons. That would not have happened if Mother Nature was the one responsible, for she was his governing spirit.

Which could only mean that something was very wrong.

As he flitted onwards, the ghosts of castle towers loomed up before him. He could barely make out the rest of the castle. It was all but buried beneath the snow, its windows frosted over, its walls cloaked in snowy mounds.

Landing upon a frosted mast of a ship, Jack stared up at the palace. Something about it tugged at his memory. Those towers… and those tall walls… It couldn't possibly be…

_Arendelle?_

Grimacing at the thought, he firmly pushed it aside, focusing instead on that invisible pull that had dragged him halfway across the world. He could not stop before he found whatever was causing this unbalance in his season.

Soaring through the frenzy, he followed that tugging sensation, until he came to an outer wall.

He was very close now, he could _feel_ it.

Landing upon a thick drift of snow, Jack stepped towards the building. Small, narrow windows were evenly spaced along the wall, almost entirely covered in frost. And he was certain that whatever was pulling him closer, was in there…

The spirit of Winter neared the first window, his fingertips swiping across the glass to clear it from the fern-like frost patterns. Then, he peered inside.

And froze, his breath stolen from his lungs.

In the dim light of the cell, stood a young woman, her back turned towards him. Hair the colour of frosty moonlight crowned her head and fell down her back in a braid. A gown that seemed to be made of sheer ice, as beautiful and frail as the first snow on a pale winter morning, cloaked her frame.

He did not need to see her face, to know it was _her_.

" _Elsa_?" Jack breathed. The princess turned, as though she'd heard him-

His heart slammed against his ribs.

He was wrenched right back into those last few moments he'd ever spent in her company. Her eyes, those same wintry eyes from his memories, looked _straight through him_. And all he could see was a little girl, her icy gaze piercing him, like he did not exist.

Stumbling backwards as though he'd been slapped, Jack's breath hitched in his throat.

Pain, longing, confusion, all welled up inside him, his chest heaving with short, quick gasps. Without a doubt, he now knew it was _her_ making the storm. He could feel the magic, so much like his own, emanating from her, pulsing into the world around them. And he could also feel the undercurrent of fear, tingeing the very air around her.

But he could not begin to fathom _why_ , and _how_ …

All of that time, of seeing her so torn between pleasing her father and embracing the beauty of her powers rushed back in single moment: everything he'd tried so hard to forget.

Jack had never even imagined that she could possess such _power_. Was this how great her talents had become? Or had she somehow managed to keep such raw magic hidden inside of her, during all those years they'd been friends?

But the time in which to think was short, for the next moment the outside wall of her cell gave a loud crack, and it broke apart. Jack barely had enough time to scramble out of the way of the debris when Elsa sped past him, her gown's frosty train flaring in the harsh wind.

"Elsa!" Jack called, voice strained with desperation, even though he knew she couldn't hear him. He was about to race after her when a tall, ginger-haired man stepped out of the broken cell, his green eyes spitting fire.

The spirit paused.

A sneer tugged at the other man's features - and in less than a heartbeat, rage simmered through Jack's veins. Something about the man's stance, about the way he was glaring after Elsa, all of it rubbed him the wrong way.

With the flick of his wrist, he turned the snow beneath the man's feet to ice, watching as a very comical expression of shock flashed across his face when he slipped and solidly plopped his backside into the snow. Leaving him behind, Jack's laughter rang out into the wind.

As he darted through the gale, his heart raced faster with every second that ticked by. He wondered if he should try to calm the storm, but he had no idea if that would work, her magic being so intertwined with her emotions.

She must be terrified, for the storm to have grown so out of control.

Finally, he spotted her. She was wandering aimlessly through the snowstorm, slowly heading across the field of ice of what could only be the Fjord. A delicate hand was raised to shield her eyes against the biting cold as she tried to see where she was. He kept his distance, though he had no intention of leaving her out there, all by herself.

Soundlessly, he landed upon the ice and allowed himself a moment to really _look_ at her.

Jack's hands clenched into fists.

All he wanted to do reach out and tug her into his arms like he'd always done. He wanted to make her look at him, to ask her why she was doing this. What she was so afraid of. But instead, he remained where he was, the epitome of cold and distant.

The spirit scoffed at his own thoughts.

Ironic, that he should end up in the very place he'd vowed never to return to.

Then, from the grey blizzard, the ginger-haired man approached.

"Elsa, you can't run from this!" His voice swept up into the wind, swirling and echoing all around them. Jack's gaze sparked with fury, his fingers clenching around his staff as his shoulders went ridged. A quick glance in Elsa's way made his scowl deepen. She seemed reluctant to allow the man to come too close, and her wide, crystalline eyes were filled with fear.

"Just take care of my sister," she pleaded.

"Your sister? She returned from the mountain, weak and cold," the man answered. "She said that _you_ froze her heart."

Jack's scowl slowly slipped from his face. Unable to tear his eyes away from Elsa, all he could do was watch the agonized expression bloom across her features.

"No –" she breathed.

"I tried to save her but it was too late. Her skin was ice; her hair turned white. Your sister is dead. Because of _you_."

Jack's heart lurched.

_Anna is dead? And it's… Elsa's fault?_

_No_.

There was simply no way that Elsa would ever hurt her sister; the person she adored more than anything in the world.

"You're lying," Jack growled, taking a menacing step forward, staff raised and ready to strike, when a soft cry returned his gaze to Elsa.

The unguarded, naked brokenness flooding her glacier-blue eyes made Jack freeze in his steps.

Elsa turned, slowly, weakly. She stumbled.

He reached for her, watching with deepening misery as she passed straight through his outstretched hand. As she struck the ice, a forceful swell of magic rippled outward from her frail form like a vase hitting the ground to splinter into a thousand shards.

And fused within every thread of the magic, was her sorrow.

It hit him like an ocean wave, crashing and surging through him, until he could _feel_ every single measure of her heartache coursing through his veins.

A cry tore from his lips as Jack fell to his knees, gasping, his hand clutching his chest.

Tears suddenly blurred his vision; a deep and terrible grief – his, hers, he did not know – rose up inside of him, threatening to engulf him in its force. It ebbed and swelled, rippling through his bones until it seeped into every inch of his being.

_What is happening to me…? Is this… what she's feeling?_

He hardly even noticed that the storm had ceased, and that its place, a hushed, peaceful quiet had descended. Snowflakes, soft and powdery, floated all around them.

Heavily, Jack's gaze drifted to Elsa, where she lay less than two feet away from him. So close he would only have to lift his hand to touch her… yet she would remain unreachable to him. Tears streaked down her pale cheekbones, her shoulders shaking. With eyes closing in misery he rested his silver head against his upheld staff, and if there had ever been a time that he wished, fervently, with every fibre of his being, that he was _human_ -

A sound pierced through the silence, drawing Jack's gaze upward. Above them loomed the red-haired stranger, his eyes as sharp as flecks of emerald, silver sword glinting in the feint light. But before Jack even realized what was happening, a figure of pink and blue streaked into his vision. The girl's voice rang out clearly into the air, as her hand poised to stop the blade's descent.

"No!"

In a flash of steel, the sword came swinging down.

Jack could only watch, stunned, as the woman turned into solid ice before his very eyes.

And as the blade struck her palm, it _shattered_ ; a million steel fragments cleaving through the air as a powerful pulse of energy threw back the swordsman.

Elsa, her features etched in horror, flew up from the ice. " _Anna!_ "

Jack staggered to his feet, tears stinging his eyes as he watched Elsa plead and beg, hoping against all hope, unwilling to believe, that her sister was gone.

A shocked, solemn silence fell, the quiet only broken by Elsa's sorrowful cries as she flung her arms around her sister's neck. Jack's heart was breaking as he watched her, only her, barely aware of the three other newcomers who remained on the edge of his vision.

"I'm so sorry, Anna," Elsa whimpered. "So, so sorry."

The spirit of winter stood silent, his mind reeling with the happenings of the last few minutes as he wondered how such a thing could have happened. Had that swordsman been speaking the truth? Was it because Anna's heart had been frozen… because of Elsa's powers?

But then, gently splintering the heavy silence, a soft, magical sound filled the air.

Jack looked up, his gaze widening in awe.

For ever so slowly, blooming from her heart outwards, the spell was lifting, returning colour and life to Anna as the ice faded away, until at last she was her normal self again. She inhaled deeply, her eyes flitting down to her sister.

"Anna!" Elsa cried as she wrapped Anna tightly in her arms. The sisters embraced as though they would never let go of one another ever again, and all around them the horror of the moment faded, replaced by a swell of unimaginable relief. Pulling away slightly, though keeping Anna's hands locked firmly in her own, Elsa asked, "You sacrificed yourself… for _me_?" Unbelief and wonder tinged her voice, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

The redhead smiled.

"I love you," Anna stated simply, her tone laced with affection, and the happiness gleaming through Elsa's tears was a beautiful thing to behold.

A smile returned to the winter's spirit's lips, and he leaned against his staff as he watched the moment unfold. Then, a gasp to his right drew his gaze. "An act of true love will thaw a frozen heart!"

He blinked. _Is that… a talking snowman?_

But, even as Jack still stared at the snowman, the snowy creature's comment made Elsa seem to realize something. "Love will thaw… _Love_ , of course!"

With a brilliant smile, Elsa raised her pale hands, and then the snow started to melt; lifting from the Fjord and the ships, from the buildings and walkways, from the castle and its towers, from the mountains and fields… Until finally, it all swirled and spiralled into the sky in glittering ribbons.

This time, as Jack's gaze slowly, almost cautiously, returned to the Elsa, he could feel the light and the unshakable _love_ that graced her power… So much so that it was almost painful to look at her. She was emanating that overwhelming emotion with every moment she let her magic flow and dance into the world.

And he felt it. Every stirring of her gleeful heart.

It was stunning and nothing short of breathtaking, leaving him paralyzed to the spot. All he could do was watch her. Watch the sunlight illuminate her hair so that it shone like polished silver; watch her eyes, her ice-like eyes, sparkle with joy… watch her entire being light up like a sunrise.

"There's the Princess I remember," he whispered as he once again leaned against his staff, not realizing that the snowman had heard him speak, and was watching him with a perplexed expression.

With his gaze never wavering, not even for a moment, Jack barely noticed as the snowy ribbons weaved and fused together, merging into a magnificent, great snowflake, high in the air. And that when it dissolved, snowflakes glimmered in the sky like stars for a long moment, before they disappeared into the azure heavens.

* * *

 

 


	3. Crashing Waves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The very last scene in Frozen, where everyone is ice-skating in the courtyard of the castle, does not take place in my fanfic. While it was a perfect ending to an amazing movie, I felt it doesn't quite fit into the story I want to tell. But don't worry, you might see something similar happening down the line… ;)

His mind was aflame with the thought of her.

She was there in every breath he took, at every turn he made, in every moment of his day. He could not shake her, nor the memories the encounter upon the ice had dredged to the surface. All of those days in a much younger Elsa's company danced through his mind, like ribbons waving in the wind. He thought of the snowball fights they'd had in the hidden nooks of the castle garden; of their time spent in the library, paging through her father's treasure trove of books and reading one adventure after the other; of sneaking into the kitchen in the middle of the night to steal chocolate chip cookies; of sitting on the roof, their legs dangling across the edge, talking for hours on end… And mostly, he reminisced about the day they'd met, and how it would always be the day he'd treasure most.

A deep sigh flowed from his lips. _I should go,_ Jack thought miserably.

Two days had slipped by and yet the winter spirit was still lingering at the edges of Arendelle like a ghost haunting a long-deserted castle. But only once, after everything that had transpired upon the Fjord, had he seen Elsa again.

It had been mere hours after the storm had ended, when everyone had gone to bed, and there were no more lights flickering in the windows of the palace. A tranquil silence had settled over Arendelle, as though the city itself had let out a deep breath of relief that it had been restored to its rightful state, devoid of the churning storm clouds that had covered it just hours prior. The pleasantly crisp summer night had been filled with crickets singing their lullaby from the shadows, whilst the ocean's gentle tide had lapped at the ancient fortifications of the castle.

Perhaps it had been out of a sense of nostalgia, but Jack had settled himself on the rooftop, at the spot that he and Elsa used to frequent when she'd been little. He'd found himself unable to make sense of all that had transpired that day, and his thoughts had been clouded with questions and uncertainty… So there he had remained, even though the balance of winter had been restored. Even though there was no point in him sticking around. Even though there were a hundred reasons for him to _go…_ he had simply not been able to bring himself to leave.

He’d watched as a million stars appeared in the vast, clear dome of the sky, each a tiny pinprick in the floor of heaven. In the soft starlight, Elsa had stepped out onto her balcony. And the instant he'd laid eyes on her, he'd realized that he'd been waiting, _hoping_ , to see her once more.

With the icy train of her dress trailing behind her, she'd walked up to the railing of the balcony, and gripped it until her knuckles had gone pure white. Jack had barely dared to move, let alone breathe, for fear that she might vanish before his eyes. How long had it been since he'd last laid eyes on her? Time had changed her, but it must have changed him as well, for it was impossible to look at her and not be left breathless at her beauty. She reminded him of the first, frail flowers of spring, with their bright petals still sprinkled with frost – beautiful and frail and so, so lovely.

But he had not truly allowed himself to appreciate the sight of her, for even though there was no magic ebbing from her, no power flowing into the world around them, he’d still been able to sense her brokenness.

When her shoulders had started to shake, Jack couldn't remain motionless anymore. He hadn't known the reason for her tears, but he’d wagered a guess. She may have grown up, but he still saw that terrified young girl in her; a girl who only wanted to protect everyone else around her from _herself_. And even though Anna was perfectly fine, Elsa had seen her die. For _her_.

Like a snowflake wafting down to softly pile upon powdery snow, the winter spirit had floated down from the gables to land at her side. A sob had racked through her, her entire body quivering, and she'd wrapped her arms around her chest; always, always trying to make herself smaller, always trying to contain her emotions.

Defying every part of him that had screamed for him to leave her be, Jack had guardedly stretched out his hand, wishing for nothing more than to be able to touch, to feel, to _be there_. Until finally, with his fingertips but a hair's breath away from her snow-white shoulder - so close he could _almost_ feel the warmth of her skin - he hadn't been able to bring himself to rupture the illusion. His pale, outstretched hand had hovered in the empty space between them, trembling slightly. Then, with lips parting in anguish, he'd tightly shut his eyes, curled his fingers into a fist, and as he'd turned his snowy head away from her, he withdrew his hand back to his side.

Then he'd left, shooting up into the darkness, a spray of snowflakes trailing down to land upon the balcony.

Now, in the breaking of the dawn, after he'd spent the entire previous day watching the castle from afar, Jack stood upon a grassy hill and looked down on Arendelle as the sunrise lit up its quaint houses, colourful gardens and cobbled streets. Gradually, people could be seen making their way outside, off to their day's work at the harbour, the bakery, or the florist. Laughter and shouts rang through the air as another wonderfully normal day began.

His cerulean eyes flickered over to the castle, as the great wooden gates were opened.

With a sigh, Jack turned away. He needed to think, and he couldn't do that in Arendelle. Not with her so close-by.

He called the wind, and headed home.

Like an island, a solitary mountain peak rose through an ocean of feathery clouds. As far as the eye could see, there was only the limitless horizon, suspended above the endless sea of misty white. Upon the towering peak, its slopes crowned in splendorous snow, sat the Spirit of Winter.

The mountain, named Isenrest by humans, Jack called _home_. He had found the place a handful of years after he'd first woken at the frozen pond halfway across the world. In the beginning, he had returned to the pond whenever he needed rest, but his continuous presence in the area had caused a permanent blanket of frost to remain there throughout the year. Which simply wasn't natural, as Mother Nature had informed him.

It was her who had suggested that he should find a home where his powers would blend into the surroundings. Where it was always cold enough for snow. It had also been her who had told him that he was the embodiment of Winter, a seasonal spirit under her command.

Perhaps a day after he had first opened his eyes, she had come to him, clad in all the radiance of the Earth. Jack remembered how he had been awed by her appearance, for she was the most magnificent and strangest being he had ever witnessed. To describe how exactly she looked would be difficult at best, for she did not seem to hold a single form; or perhaps she'd simply wished to conceal her features from him.

All he could determine for certain was that she smelled like the earth after a rainstorm, and that she wore a cloak made from a living spray of fern and lilies that trailed down behind her. And as she'd walked, life and beauty had sprouted from the soil beneath her feet; vivid flowers of yellow and shades of pink had raised their petal-crowned heads, even though the ground had still been blanketed in snow.

She had told him what he was meant to do with the powers he possessed; that he was part of the balance of Nature, along with his cousins, the other seasonal spirits. But apart from that, she'd said nothing more, and he had not seen her again.

That had been seventy three years ago.

Not long after her visit, he'd gone on a search for a different home. He'd found Isenrest, and made it his.

From the peak, one could enter the mountain through a small cave and follow the spiralling set of solid ice stairs that ran deep into the roots of Isenrest. A magnificent cavern was there, its walls made of glittering ice the shade of a glacier's heart. Light spilled in from a great chasm in the ceiling, through which Jack often watched the clouds roll by, or the stars twinkle in the night.

But what he loved most of his cave, was the tree.

It was as white as bone, and bore no leaves or flowers. Long, noble branches, smooth to the touch, ascended from the massive trunk, to reach toward the chasm like nimble fingers. Upon first impression, it might appear lifeless, but Jack Frost knew better. Something had shown him the way to this cave, back when he'd first left his pond. Perhaps it had been the wind, or perhaps it was Mother Nature herself, who often whispered to him through the rustling of leaves or the howling of the wind – but whatever it was, Jack was sure that he'd been _meant_ to find the cave.

The tree was part of Winter itself, just like Jack. It was simply asleep, like trees were meant to be during his season. But there had been that one instance, such a long time ago now, when for a single moment, the tree had hummed with life…

Yet as much as he loved his cavernous home, little could compare to residing on the peak. On a day on which there were no clouds, one could see the great lake that lay high up in the mountains, cradled in Isenrest's snowy embrace. At night, the reflection of the stars were like brilliant, fiery diamonds resting upon a field of inky velvet, and if one were to step into the water, it would seem like one were diving into the sky itself.

Jack leaned back in his seat of soft, shimmering snow, his right arm resting upon his knee. His gaze trailed over the vast cloudscape that lay stretched out before him, as he waited for the world to darken. Come twilight, he took the stairs back into his frozen domain, thinking he might take a few hours to sleep. He did not need sleep like humans do, nor did he dream like they did, but he liked to take some rest every once in a while, for it helped to clear his thoughts.

That night, Jack laid on the icy floor of his cavern, staring up into the clear night sky, as the Moon rose from the edges of the chasm, until it was framed in its centre. He often spoke to the Moon, for even though the great orb had only ever given him his name and nothing else, he still had the faintest suspicion that the Moon was at least listening…

And besides, the Moon was sometimes the only company he had.

"What am I supposed to do?" he began softly, his thumb idly tracing the grooves on his staff. "…Because I honestly don't know."

Jack sighed, raking a hand through his white hair. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about everything that had happened. From the shock of seeing Elsa again, to the memories of the much younger girl that he had refused to think about for such a long time… To the power of her magic… He was the Spirit of Winter, the very heart of the season – she was a _human being_ , and yet her magic could rival his own.

But one thing specifically, had been swirling inside of him ever since he'd laid eyes on her again.

"I _miss_ her. I miss her more than _anything_ … And I hadn't realized just how much, until I'd seen her again."

He could still vividly recall _that_ day. The day he'd left her side. When she'd told him she needed him to go, that she could no longer believe in him. And he'd already seen it in her eyes, but still the very moment she'd turned away, he'd reached out because he hadn't truly been able to believe what had been happening until his hand had passed straight through her.

Another soft, pained sigh escaped his lips.

"But she doesn't _see_ me – and it hurts. It hurts more than I can ever hope to describe. Which was why I had left in the first place. And I thought I'd moved on, I'd _tried_ to forget her. But _now_ -"

Everything had changed.

To have felt her deepest, most intense emotions surging inside of him… It was messing with his head. How did one recover from something like that? How did you move on, when that other person's feelings had been fused with your own, coursing through your veins like they belonged to you, as though they had sprung from your own mind?

It was the strangest and most intense thing than he'd ever experienced. And how or why it happened, or whether it could happen again, that he did not know. The only thing he could compare it to was the connection he held with his fellow spirits, but communicating with them telepathically had never made him feel like _this_. All he knew for certain was that he was now left with this all-consuming, aching _need,_ to be near her once again. Something that he had suppressed for more than thirteen years.

And feeling it once again… it _terrified_ him.

Jack growled, and threw his staff upon the ice. It slid away from him, into the pale twilight, until it halted at the bottom of a dark figure.

Jack glanced up.

Two orbs of silver light glinted in the dark.

A grin slowly spread across Jack's features, erasing the irritation that had been there moments before. He deftly rose to his feet, turning to face the darkness. "I was wondering when you’d show up."

The dark shape slipped forward, silent as the gloomy shadows, and halted at the edge of the moonlight. Gleeful silver eyes looked down upon the winter spirit, before the figure materialized from the shadows and took the form of a gigantic, lean wolf. In the light spilling through the chasm, the beast's hair was cast as silver as the Moon itself, its eyes glowing like fiery stars as it neared Jack.

The great wolf, larger than an average horse, lowered his noble head, and allowed the boy to give him a fond scratch behind his soft, velvety ears.

"It's good to see you, Amarok."

The wolf leaned into the touch, closing his eyes for a moment as a deep, contented growl reverberated through his chest, sounding very much like a purr. Jack felt a wave of contentment spilling through him as it rolled off of the wolf, and his mouth quirked into a smile, knowing that his friend would sense his mutual feelings in return.

Amarok pulled away slightly, to allow silver orbs to meet with Winter's own.

**_You are troubled._ **

The words echoed inside Jack Frost's mind like it always did when the Old Hunter spoke to him.

There was no use hiding anything from Amarok, but even so, Jack liked to tease his friend. "Hm? What makes you say that?" Jack quipped, picking up his staff and twirling it in his hand.

**_You have yet to bestow a welcoming snowball in my face, among other things._ **

Jack smirked.

"I knew you secretly liked those. I would give you one now, but what fun is it when you're expecting it?"

**_In all of these years, you have not yet caught me unawares._ **

"OH! Is that right? Well I guess I'll just have to try harder."

**_The day you succeed in surprising me, will be the day I'm no longer worthy of my title as Hunter._ **

Jack snorted as Amarok loped towards the tree. The wolf pawed at a thin sheet of frost at the twisting roots, revealing a small spring. He lapped it up, enjoying the sensation of the icy coldness trailing down his throat. With his thirst properly quenched, he raised his head to gently press his forehead against the smooth bark of the tree, giving silent thanks for the drink. As he took a step back, his gaze shifted up to the graceful, spire-like branches, to eye the collection of icy trinkets swaying slightly from their places. Each was a perfect replica of their real counterpart, lovely and skilfully made from solid ice. A long, delicate feather, a prancing horse, a layered slice of cake, a seashell, a castle with tall towers, a closed book and a candle - complete with a frosty flame.

Lastly his gaze touched upon the one that hung on the lowest branch, closest to the centre of the tree. It was a flower, a crocus if he was not mistaken, perfectly translucent and aglow in the moonlight. .

When Amarok turned, he found the Spirit of Winter sitting in the centre of the Moon’s light. Even if he had _not_ been able to perceive the thoughts and feelings of his fellow spirit, he'd have known that something was bothering him. It was not hard to see. One could tell simply by the dimmed brightness of the boy's usually brilliant smile.

Amarok crossed the chamber and settled himself into a comfortable position, half-curled around Jack. The young spirit leaned back into the Hunter's fur, a sigh huffing from his lips.

The wolf already knew what was wrong. He only had to peep into the surface of Winter's soul, the problem laying concealed right beneath the surface, as though only covered by a thin sprinkling of frost.

The wolf waited.

"You remember that girl… The human who'd been my friend when she was a child?"

**_Elsa._ **

Jack paused, shutting his eyes as he released an almost pained breath. "Yes. Elsa."

Then, he began to speak, his voice filling the chamber as he let the troubles pour out of him, hoping it would help him to understand some of the things that were pulsing inside his heart. Hours passed, the boy and his wolf watching the Moon complete its course across the chasm until finally it was no longer visible.

"I wasn't prepared for how _strong_ she'd be. By the stars, she made a storm that drew me all the way across the world."

A sigh of misty breath fell from his lips.

**_You try to conceal that which bothers you most._ **

Jack's gaze flicked up, locking with Amarok's. "What?"

**_You are afraid. You do not wish to be hurt again. You experienced her emotions like they were your own, and that terrifies you. Your mind tries to conceal these thoughts, burying them beneath all other troubles, believing it best not to think about it. But I can sense it all the same._ **

There was a long moment of silence, before a wry grin tugged at Jack's lips. " _You_ , are both a blessing and a curse."

**_As are you._ **

Jack laughed, but the sound slowly died on his lips. "You're right though. I've… never experienced anything like it before. It's not really the same when I sense your feelings or thoughts… With you, or the other spirits, it's not nearly as powerful, because there is still that boundary between us – we are always separate beings."

His gaze flickered down to his clenched hands. "But with Elsa… It was as though, for those few moments, her very soul had fused with mine."

Then, he slightly shook his head. "I didn't even know it was possible. She's not a spirit. She's … _human_."

Amarok's gaze turned away from his young friend, trailing up to where the last of the night's stars twinkled in the lightening sky. It was difficult to not always be entirely open with the boy; the boy whom he cared for deeply. But he had made a promise, and he'd come to see the value in staying true to one's word.

Even so, he would not give Jack nothing at all.

**_Elsa's will is stronger than most, Jack Frost. It is why she was able to stop believing in you in the first place. Remember this when you make your choice._ **

"Choice?"

Something like a chuckle reverberated through Amarok's chest.

**_My apologies. I see you've already made it._ **

"Amarok, _what_ are you talking about?"

The great wolf rose to his feet, and sent a last glance to his friend.

**_I will see you again soon, Jack Frost._ **

And with that, he was gone, merging with the last shadows of the night.

Jack sighed, plopping down onto the snow again. Once Amarok had decided he'd said enough, then that was that. But why the beast always had to be so damned cryptic was beyond him.

A fond smile tugged at Jack's lips.

The dawn was breaking, and he felt as confused as the night before. Should he go back to Arendelle to see her? The possibility of simply moving on as though nothing had happened, and never seeing her again… It was almost unthinkable. Even if she could not see _him_ …

Then, an amused grin spread across Jack's lips as he realized what Amarok had meant.

So he _had_ already made his choice.

Rising to his feet, the spirit gripped his staff tightly in his palm, eyes trained on the sky above. A long time ago, he'd promised to always be there for her, so that she would never have to be alone.

And though he would give anything to have her believe in him again… perhaps, for now, he could simply be her silent guardian.

 

* * *

_Arendelle, one week later…_

The gates were open.

After so many years of seeing them tightly shut, it was strange to witness them being opened each and every morning. But even more bizarre was the courtyard filling with _people_. Mostly traders and shop owners, who came to trade with the castle staff, their wagons loaded with all sorts of goods. Sometimes she would watch as they unload bolts of fine silks or spices in exotic colours. But there were civilians too, who came to tour the castle gardens, or children watching the stable boys brushing down the horses.

Their chatter and haggling would float up to the library's balcony, and Elsa would sit and listen. She could remember little of the castle life from before her powers had shaped the lives of her family into something entirely solitary. But she recalled how fondly her mother had spoken of the grand parties in the ballroom, and of entertaining visiting nobles from far and wide. How she'd always said that, one day, such things would be returned to Arendelle, and that Elsa would see it for herself.

Now, Elsa only wished that her mother could have been with her, to see her words had finally come true.

With a sigh, she retreated into the library, her nightgown swishing around her ankles. She left through the tall, white double-doors and crossed the hall to her bedroom. A maid must have opened the windows and the glass doors to her balcony, for gentle warmth enveloped her as she stepped inside. Sunshine spilled onto her carpet, warming the soles of her feet. Clicking the door shut behind her, she stood there for a moment, watching her white, delicate feet in the golden pool of light.

Sunlight always reminded her of Anna.

She'd seen very little of her sister in the last week, having been buried deep in an ever-growing pile of her new duties as queen. But Elsa was determined to make up for it, which was why she’d set aside the entire morning, allowing them to spend some much-needed time together.

Sighing softly, Elsa stepped out of the sunlight to pause in front of her wardrobe. She opened the doors and gazed at the rows and rows of grand dresses, shoes, cloaks, ribbons, boots - and gloves. They were all newly tailored, their silks and velvets soft to the touch, their embellishments magnificent. A wardrobe fit for a queen.

She still wasn't used to it. Being the queen. But whether she would ever _get_ used to it, was what worried her. It still felt as though she was a pretender, standing in someone else's shoes. As though at any moment, someone would recognize her for a fraud.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa chose a gown of lilac silk; it had short sleeves that flowed loosely across her shoulders and a bodice that was embroidered with a million tiny snowflakes in silver thread. Elbow-length, pristine white gloves were made to accompany the dress, as well as soft, white shoes studded with tiny, shimmering purple beads. With her fingertips lightly brushing over the snowflake pattern, she wondered how the dressmakers had managed to create such a beautiful piece in such a short time. Many of the other gowns also had lovely flourishes of snowflakes embroidered upon them, and she could not deny that she appreciated the gesture.

Stepping in behind her screen, Elsa slipped out of her nightgown, and as she began dressing, her thoughts turned to the blur of events from the past week.

A few days ago, at the first meeting she'd had with the Council of Arendelle, the lack of castle staff had been discussed and had been appropriately handled. Many new workers had been hired, and positions that had once been empty were promptly filled. The castle, just as the courtyard, was bustling with people, overflowing with noise and sounds and people performing duties that Elsa had never even imagined there was a need for.

The kitchen was a hive of activity with its newly acquired bakers, scullions and spit boys, much to the great delight of the head Cook, while guards clad in shining silver breastplates and helmets had been stationed in the hallways and at every entrance. They also regularly patrolled the high walls of the castle, under the strict supervision of Captain Brennan Clancy. The man had always reminded Elsa of a bear, with his broad shoulders, dark curly hair and booming voice, coupled with a memory of having seen him clad in a thick fur cloak, once when she was a little girl. He had an easy smile, and had served her father loyally through all the years of silence and neglect the castle had seen. She suspected that he was terribly glad to growl orders this way and that again.

Elsa eased herself down in front of her mirror and styled her hair into a bun, finishing off the look with a silver-and-purple beaded hairpin. Her eyes met the blue gaze of her reflection, and she recalled how her mother used to love playing with her hair. Shaking her head, she reached for her jewellery box, searching for her beloved sapphire brooch. It had been a gift from her mother, not long after Elsa had started to wear the gloves.

When she couldn't find its familiar shape among the many jewels, Elsa drew the box closer and peeked inside, trailing her eyes over the baubles that lay within.

It wasn't there.

A quick search through her room also revealed nothing, when it dawned on her. She’d worn it on the day of her coronation.

And she must have dropped it when she'd unclasped her cape, up in the mountains.

_Oh, no-_

How could she have been so careless?

A film of frost crept over the carpet as she sunk onto the bed. That brooch meant more to her than anything else she owned - it was one of the few things in her life that was connected to a _happy_ childhood memory. She could still recall when her mother had given it to her. How happy she’d been that day. The strength she’d found in that little jewel.

And now it was _gone_. Because of her own carelessness.

The frost was spreading its ferny patterns across her bedding, when Elsa realized she needed to calm down. She took a deep breath, banishing the ice as she thought of going to see her sister shortly. There was more important things that needed her attention currently. Perhaps later she would have time to go look for it.

Rising from her seat, she turned to her wardrobe again. Elsa picked up the pair of white gloves that went with the dress, her fingertips trailing across the velvet. For the entire time since summer had been restored, she hadn't once worn a pair of gloves. But all the while she'd felt naked without them, and had taken to hiding her hands behind her back, or folding her arms across her chest - things she'd never done before. It hadn't occurred to her just how much the gloves had brought her comfort, and a sense of calmness, like they were a barrier between her and the danger of her powers.

But, at the same time, they symbolized the part of her life in which she'd needed to keep her powers hidden from everyone around her.

_Conceal it, don't feel it, don't let it show…_

A profoundly strong and sudden memory of letting her magic go - letting it ebb out from her as though she were the heart of an ocean - surged through her mind, bringing with it the aching wish to be standing in the centre of her ice palace again.

The queen flinched, shutting her eyes tightly as she sighed, struggling to push the thoughts away.

_Don't let it show…_

She pulled on the gloves.

 

* * *

The garden was steeped in sunlight. A vivid wealth of colourful flowers rimmed the pristine lawns in ruby-reds and sunny yellows… It was beautiful. When was the last time she'd been out here?

It must have been months at least.

In the shade of the garden gazebo, sat Anna. Her hair was loose in soft curls, with a single, narrow braid circling her head like a delicate crown. With her lovely spring-green and blossom-pink gown, she looked just like a flower in the garden.

"Good morning," Elsa said, intentionally letting a cheerful lilt flow into her voice.

Anna's eyes snapped up, a smile washing across her features. She jumped from her seat. "Morning, Elsa! I, err, I mean, Queen-" Anna babbled as she began to curtsy. Elsa reflexively started to reach out to gently touch her arm, but she stopped herself. Her hand hovered in the space between them, until she pulled it back and clasped her hands together.

Anna looked up at her.

"You don't have to curtsy for me, Anna, or call me upon my title."

A flickering of warmth crossed through her sister's eyes, and she straightened, brushing down imaginary creases from her dress. "Of course, I know. You _told_ me. I'm just…"

"Nervous?" Elsa inquired, her crystalline gaze twinkling in slight amusement.

"Maybe," Anna relented, smiling. But she was still wringing her fingers.

Elsa smiled encouragingly, even as she felt the twinge of sadness flare through her chest. It was her own fault that Anna was acting so skittish around her – but she was determined to be the one to change that, too.

"Please, don't be. You're my sister." A beat of silence passed between them. Elsa unclasped her hands to gracefully gesture to the table. "Why don't we sit down?"

Anna's lips quirked in a shaky smile as she quickly retook her seat. Elsa eased herself into the garden chair, and elegantly beckoned to the servant who had been waiting at the end of the garden path. The girl carried a silver tray, laden with a pot of tea, two teacups, a creamer, a bowl of sugar and a plate of cookies. She placed it upon the table. "Thank you, you may go," Elsa said, with a slight wave of her hand. "I will pour for us."

The maid curtsied deeply. "Of course, your Highness."

With the fading footsteps of the servant, Elsa arranged the tea cups, and picked up the teapot. As the warm, flowery-scented liquid spilled forth, she realized that Anna had gone quiet. Glancing up, she found her sister lightly chewing on her lower lip as she stared at Elsa's gloves.

"Why are you wearing them again?" Anna asked, her voice tighter than usual, her gaze wide as it darted to Elsa's before flickering back down to the fine, white cloth cloaking the queen's hands.

Ever so slightly, Elsa's features stiffened. Since that day on the Fjord's ice, neither of them had broached the subject of her powers again, nor anything closely related to it. More than once, Elsa had _wanted_ to… But each time there an appropriate moment presented itself, her voice and courage had seemed to fail her. It was beginning to seem like they would never speak of it – both too afraid of trampling the delicate sapling that was their relationship; both too afraid of scaring the other off.

For all her life, she'd separated herself from the sparkling and spontaneous woman who now sat across from her, for the sole reason of protecting her.

And while Anna now knew about her magic, she still did not know _why_ Elsa had kept it from her for all these years.

It _still_ pained her to think about that first time she'd hurt Anna… And then, that terrible day on the Fjord…

Swallowing against the sudden ache in her throat, Elsa glanced down at her gloves, and forced a smile to tug at the corners of her lips. "It's just a precaution Anna-"

"A precaution for _what_?"

Sighing inwardly, Elsa finished pouring their beverages, and realized that she didn't know how Anna took her tea. She was about to ask, when her sister spoke up. "Cream, with two sugars. Please."

Elsa did as asked, before carefully passing the teacup to Anna. To her own cup, she added only a single sugar cube and no cream.

When they both had their tea before them, Elsa allowed a soft sigh to fall from her lips.

"It is for my own peace of mind. The gloves. They… help."

She stared at the steam rising from her cup.

"But you don't have to be afraid anymore, Elsa. You can control it now."

Elsa heard the hope and uncertainty in her sister's voice, and she wished with all her heart that it was that easy. Yes, she knew how to dispel the effects of her powers now, but to truly control it… It was like asking someone to rule their own emotions with an iron fist. Her magic was part of her, of her emotions, of her _heart_ \- and it wasn't simply as easy as just _controlling_ it.

To a certain extent, one can discipline one's feelings and keep them in check – but there are times when they do manage to get the upper hand. Like they did that night at the coronation…

It had happened _so_ quickly.

Her powers were dangerous.

She would _always_ be a danger-

"Elsa?" Anna asked.

Elsa's gaze snapped in her direction.

"Are you alright? I didn't mean to upset you."

Elsa willed her features to soften. "I know, Anna. I'm fine. And you're right." She glanced down to her gloved hands lying neatly in her lap.

They curled into fists.

"It's just-" Her gaze drifted up, lingered on the garden for a long moment, before it found Anna's again. "I just need a little time. The last few weeks have been so exhausting… But it will get better. I'm still getting used to everyone knowing about my magic now… I'm still getting used to a lot of things."

Elsa managed a smile, and was rewarded with the disappearance of the worry lines from her sister's features. A tender look slipped into their stead, as the princess spoke, "Just know that I will be here for you, okay? Anytime you want to talk, or need someone, or _anything_ … I want to help, Elsa."

A rush of warmth spilled through her chest. Her smile broadened, and it was genuine. Before she could stop herself, she reached out and squeezed Anna's hand. "I know, Anna… And thank you."

Soon the two sisters were discussing much more light-hearted topics, each on their second cup of tea. The cookies on the plate had also severely dwindled in number.

"So, how is Arendelle's Ice Master and Deliverer?" Elsa asked as she bit into the sugary sweetness of the chocolate-chip cookie.

Anna's eyes glazed over in a dreamy, far-away look. "Oh, he's _wonderful_! He loves the new sled." She chuckled, and dunked a cookie into her tea. "We actually have plans for later today."

Elsa was gladdened to see her sister so happy. Her lips quirked into a playful grin. "Oh? And what might those plans involve?"

Anna, picking up on the teasing tone of her sister, blushed bright red. "Well, I… _Elsa_!"

The queen could not contain the laughter from spilling out. "I was only asking an innocent question!"

Anna giggled into her teacup, shaking her head. Finishing her tea, she replaced the cup on the saucer and propped her chin on her palm, her eyes still twinkling with happiness. "We're just going down to the beach. There's this really beautiful spot on the cove that Kristoff said he wants to show me. I asked the kitchen to prepare a picnic basket for us, because I think we might be gone for quite a while. Olaf is coming along too. He's even more excited than I am!"

She laughed, and Elsa enjoyed the way Anna's blue-green eyes seemed to light up whenever she spoke of Kristoff.

"Do you want to come with us?" Anna asked then, a carefully hopeful expression blooming across her face.

Elsa smiled. "I would really love to, Anna. But my afternoon is full of meetings. Why don't you and I go another time, just the two of us? Then you can show me all the beautiful places you discovered."

Anna brightened, nodding. "I would like that."

A moment of silence passed between them as Elsa finished her tea, and resettled the tea set back on the tray.

It did not escape her notice that Anna was wringing her fingers again, and chewing on her bottom lip. _Clearly a nervous habit_ , Elsa thought fondly.

"I think we should have a ball!" Anna blurted.

Elsa blinked.

Anna paused, crumpling a piece of her dress between her fingertips, then continued to ramble on. "Your birthday was a couple of weeks ago… and we never celebrated it. Just like we never really celebrated any birthdays… So seeing as the previous party didn't end so well, I figured… maybe… Not that I'm saying it's your _fault_ or anything. That is… We could— No. It's stupid, I'm sorry. You said you needed time and I really do respect that."

Elsa clasped her hands in her lap. Amusement flickered through her eyes even as the slightest hints of apprehension fluttered through her belly. It was true, neither of them had had any birthday balls or seen any celebrations until the day of the coronation. For birthdays, when their parents had still been alive, they would have cake in the afternoon, or after dinner… and they had always received birthday presents… But nothing like the glorious parties that their mother used to describe to her.

"Anna, would you like to have a ball?"

The redhead blinked. "It's for _your_ birthday... So you should decide. And it was just a suggestion. I just thought that, we never really had any birthday parties growing up… and… that you might…" Anna winced. "Like one?"

Elsa paused, thoughtfully. Would it be so bad to arrange a party? After all, renewed courtly life in Arendelle was what she wanted for her home, for Anna. She wanted her sister to have friends, girls of her own age to speak to and laugh with and have _fun_ with.

Then, she smiled. "Well then, instead of making it a belated birthday party… Why don't we arrange a grand ball for Midsummer's day? Mother always used to say how she loved the Midsummer festivals… I know it's still quite some time off, but I think it'll be worth the wait. Don't you?"

Anna beamed like the sun.


	4. Fading Light

Elsa paused outside the Council Chamber, her hands clasped in front of her. She could hear the soft murmur of voices from inside, indicating her councillors were already awaiting her presence. They've been meeting almost every day for the last week, and every time her stomach would tense into knots. Ever since the death of her parents, she had known the day would come when she would be expected to lead and to rule, when the governance of the country would be her responsibility.

But the Ice Storm had changed many things, and the little confidence she'd once had in her abilities as a ruler had been swept away like the last traces of her snow.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and the three men rose from their seats. Her eyes momentarily greeted them in turn. Lord Eddelbreck, the eldest of the three, was thin and tall, with sharp green eyes and a bushy grey moustache. He was a learned man, well-known for his love of the sciences, and as clever as a fox. At his side was Lord Adlar, a man who comically resembled a wine vat, with his short, stout body and fondness of royal-purple clothing. He was the head of one of the oldest noble families of Arendelle, but his love of fine things had led him to not only be a wealthy nobleman, but an extremely wealthy merchant and ship-owner.

Lastly, standing closest to her, was Lord Buckingham, one of her father's oldest and dearest friends. His wavy, raven-black hair – combed back to near perfection – was beginning to grey, but the streaks of silver lend further sophistication to his handsome features. He was clad in black-and-silver finery; his fashionable cloak fastened upon his breast with a silver pin in the shape of a little bird. As she stepped inside, his bright, grey eyes rested upon her form, enveloping her in their usual solemnity - but his familiar, warm smile quickly set her at ease as it has always done. "Your Majesty," he greeted her, bowing deeply before gallantly escorting her to her seat at the head of the long, polished table. "I trust your time spent with your sister was enjoyable?"

"It was, thank you," she nodded politely, and smoothed down her skirt as she sat down. Her councillors took their seats, and she continued, "In fact, my sister suggested that we hold a grand ball. I thought that perhaps Midsummer's Day would be a suitable time for it."

"A Midsummer's Ball? My goodness, what a marvellous idea! A sort of symbolic celebration of summer's return! Yes, yes, excellent," Lord Adlar proclaimed, his round face alight with excitement. "I think the kingdom can do with some feasting!"

"And you can do with a little less," Lord Buckingham noted, the corners of his mouth tilting up ever so slightly.

"Ha! Lady Adlar would agree with you, I have no doubt. But alas, a man cannot change his fate. And mine is feasting on the finest wines and the best dishes when it pleases me. Ha! I will see to it that the arrangements are made, my fine queen! I promise I will give you the best Midsummer's Ball you could possibly imagine!"

Elsa's face lit up with gratefulness, and she inclined her head. "Thank you, Lord Alar. My sister will be very pleased."

Lord Eddelbreck nodded in agreement and adjusted his monocle. "Perhaps a ball is exactly the event that the Kingdom needs. Your Majesty, there is a matter of the highest importance that the Council wishes to discuss with you. I feel that now might be the appropriate time, if a ball is to be arranged."

A tiny frown dipped between her brows as she wondered what he meant. Her eyes flickered in Lord Buckingham's direction, but he was looking at Eddelbreck with his chin resting upon his knuckles, an aloof, almost bored expression upon his face.

"Of course, my lord," Elsa said, clasping her hands tightly on the table. "Do continue."

"Well, it is a delicate subject, and I beg Your Highness to understand that we of the Council state this with no small amount of respect. However, it is our duty to advise you. And as such, we want to suggest that Your Highness, and the Princess, must consider suitable marriages in the foreseeable future."

For a moment, Elsa simply stared, her face entirely blank.

Her heart flipped inside her chest.

"Marriage?" she finally said, her voice so much smaller than she would have liked.

Lord Eddelbreck looked at her kindly, his bushy moustache tipping upwards as he smiled. "Arendelle cannot be without its rightful monarchs, Your Majesty. Ever since the passing of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna - may they rest in peace - the Kingdom has required the return of stability. While Lord Buckingham was certainly able to provide such in the years leading to your crowning, the current state of affairs leaves much to be desired. If a Midsummer's Ball is to be arranged, then it is the perfect opportunity to meet possible suitors, my Queen."

Elsa's fingers cramped from the tight clasp she had locked them in, but she hardly noticed.

It felt as though the room was spinning.

She said the only thing she could think of.

"Anna… she is not yet ready for marriage. This ordeal with Hans has been a traumatic experience for her, as you can certainly imagine." She settled her eyes upon Lord Eddelbreck. "And besides, I do not believe her heart is available."

He sighed softly, and Elsa got the impression that he'd been prepared for such response.

"Your Majesty, with all due respect, in the end, for those of royal blood, hearts have very little to do with the act of marriage-"

"And with all due respect _sir_ , there is nothing in this world that I will not do to ensure my sister's happiness."

At the slightest widening of his green eyes, she realized that a sheet of ice had flared out from beneath her palms.

She did not fail to notice how both he and Lord Adlar tried to hide their unease behind a face of neutrality.

She would know that look anywhere. She did it all the time.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, letting the anger seep away so that her mind was clear enough to banish the magic.

"I apologize," she said, her gaze falling down to her hands that she wove tightly on her lap. "I know you are only looking out for the best interests of Arendelle."

_And I'm trying my best… I really am._

Raising her eyes to meet with her councillors, she continued, "But while Arendelle is my main priority… I also have to look out for my family. And my sister is all that I have left. I will discuss the matter with her, but by no means will I force her into something she does not desire. I've spent my whole life making her miserable. I do not aim to continue on the same track."

She paused, her mask slipping into place. "As for myself… I know where my duty lies, and it is not with my heart. I shall consider your advice, Lord Eddelbreck."

Several tense moments passed, after which Elsa swiftly turned the discussion to other matters. When their discussions came to a close, she rose from her seat. "Thank you, gentlemen. I will think on everything you've said."

As they excused themselves, Lord Buckingham approached her. "Your Majesty, I was wondering if I may have a word? Perhaps we can take a walk in the garden, it is such a lovely day outside."

Elsa nodded, a polite smile upon her lips. "Of course."

They made their way outside, stepping into the shade of the wisteria-covered palisades. "What it is that you wished to speak to me about, my lord?"

Lord Buckingham smiled kindly. "Oh, I simply wished to ensure you were alright, my dear. I know how overwhelming this must all be to you. But if you want my honest opinion, I'd say you were doing splendidly."

Elsa sighed, ducking her head. "Thank you, but… I don't know if I can agree. The only reason that my Council is still intact, and the people are not revolting in the streets, is because of _you_."

She thought back on the proclamation they had made in the castle courtyard, a few days after she'd thawed the Ice Storm. The people had gathered in great crowds, demanding answers. Lord Buckingham had spoken, revealing that the queen did indeed possess ice magic, but that they had nothing to fear from her.

It had also been him who had handled the delicate matter of explaining the situation to Lords Eddelbreck and Adlar. For her father had long ago had the foresight to at least let one of his trusted advisers know the truth about her. Lord Buckingham had always protected her secret, and now he protected her interests. 

"The Council respects you, and the people love you," Elsa continued. "They see you as their ambassador – the one who looks out for them. Even my father used to say how he didn't know what he'd do without you."

She shook her head. "As for me… they probably see me as the tyrant queen, bent on destroying them with my cursed magic."

Lord Buckingham stopped, and turned to face her. With his index finger resting lightly beneath her chin, he made her look up at him. "The Council appreciates their prestigious positions entirely too much to give them up. Whatever would they do with their time, if they were to abandon you now?" His grey eyes were bright with mirth, and she felt her expression soften just a little in response.

"As for the people… In time, they will come to love you as well, my dear. They will find that you are a beautiful and just young woman, eager to serve them. Before long, they will be speaking of their Snow Queen with great pride, I assure you."

Elsa smiled wryly. "How can you be so sure?"

A small, sideways grin spread across his lips. He gently lay his hand upon her arm and continued to guide them down the path. "Your citizens desire food on the table, enough work to keep them occupied and safe streets at night. Arendelle is a prosperous kingdom. Most of our population does not live in poverty, and we are very fortunate in that. This means that we already have the first two things taken care of. For the third… Well, who would want to commit a crime in a kingdom where their queen has ice magic?"

Elsa's eyes widened. "But… that is exactly what I wish to avoid! My citizens living in fear of me. I don't ever want them to think of me as a tyrant… or a monster."

But he simply chuckled, a deep, warm sound. "No, no my dear, do not misunderstand. You only need to win their trust, and then you shall have their _respect_. They need to see that you are strong; a force to be reckoned with - not unjust and cruel. Which you are not, so you have nothing to be afraid of. I assure you, just give it some time, and they will come to adore you."

He gestured for them to take a seat at an alcove bench. The wall at their backs was overgrown with tangles of bright, pink sweet peas, the sweet scent hanging heavy in the air. Lord Buckingham turned and picked one, twirling it in his finger and watching as the petals fluttered in response. "Your mother loved these, you know? She always said they smelled like heaven."

Elsa titled her head, smiling fondly. "I remember. She used to put them in her room, or dry them between the pages of old books… You knew her for a long time, didn't you?"

Lord Buckingham looked up from the flower, and for a moment, his cool grey eyes seemed to sparkle. "Ever since I was just a lad. You are so much like her, Elsa. Always quick to worry, and to fret over others while entirely forgetting about yourself."

He held up the bloom to her.

"I want you to know that you have my support," he said, as her pale fingers enclosed around the fragile stem. "Take into account what the Council has suggested about a future marriage, but do not fret over it too much. I am certain it will come at the right time. After all, this is not meant to be taken lightly. You cannot settle for the first suitor to come along."

She nodded at him gratefully, glad to feel some of the tension leaving her shoulders at his encouraging words.

Chuckling, he rose to his feet, gallantly offering his hand to help her rise. "Now please, if you would kindly excuse me, Your Highness. I still have much to do, and wouldn't want to take up more of your precious time with my idle talk."

Elsa shook her head, smiling. "On the contrary, I'm so thankful for your support. I feel confident with my father's most trusted advisor by my side."

Lord Buckingham bowed over her hand. "And I hope that one of these days, you shall call me _your_ most trusted advisor, my Snow Queen."

* * *

Elsa was sitting at her desk, her eyes drifting over the document in her hand. The feathered-tip of her quill ticked rhythmically against her chin, until she delicately scribbled her signature upon the bottom of the page in a neat, elegant script. Picking up the cup of wax that had been resting above the flickering candle flame, she carefully tipped it over the parchment, watching as the melted substance dripped down and bloomed into a tiny crimson blotch.

The royal seal of Arendelle left its crocus imprinted upon the ruby-red wax, hardening as it cooled. Setting the document aside, Elsa's gaze trailed absently across the many reports and letters still cluttering her desk. It was difficult to focus on any of them, as her mind felt hazy and dull after the long day. Rubbing her eyes, her thoughts remained with the document she had just approved; a document detailing the repairs she wanted to be made to the castle. Many things have been neglected in the last few years after her parents had passed away, and if Arendelle was to be part of the world again, she would see to it that the castle gained all the modern necessities. 

The many guest chambers especially had seen such disuse over the years, she was surprised to find them still standing. The bedding and pillows were musty, the carpets were thin and the curtains even worse. The roof had its fair share of leaks and in many places the floors needed new polish. Here and there the wallpaper was peeling off, and some of the oldest furniture was beyond saving. Not to mention the thick layer of dust that had settled like a blanket over every nook and cranny.

But she was determined to breathe new life into her home. She could faintly remember a time when her mother had fussed over every inch of the castle, making sure it was perfectly spotless and beautiful… A time when there had been laughter and light… And a sister, always at her side.

Elsa wanted it to be like that again.

Anna didn't know it yet, but the queen intended to leave the renovations in her capable hands.

Perhaps it would be possible for them to reclaim a tiny bit of the happy childhood they had lost so long ago.

A hint of a smile was playing on Elsa's lips when the soft click of the door made her gaze flick up to the tall, intricately painted doors of her study, expecting to see a servant or perhaps her sister peeking inside.

But there was no one there, only the door standing ever so slightly ajar.

Then, Olaf popped up at her side, peering over the large desk. "Hi!"

Elsa started, her hand flying to her chest. " _Olaf!_ You scared me!"

The snowman chuckled bashfully, and tilted his head at her. "Sorry, Elsa! Didn't mean to."

Elsa felt a genuine smile spread across her lips. "Don't apologize. I'm glad you're here. I could use a break from all… this."

Olaf grinned broadly. "I brought you something!" Raising his hand, he gently placed something upon the edge of her desk, scooting it closer to her, before smiling up at her and tucking his stick-arms behind his round little body. "I found it while I was on the beach with Anna and Kristoff! It was so much fun. The ocean is beautiful. You would have loved it Elsa. So I thought I'd bring you something… "

Elsa's eyes settled on the object.

It was a seashell, delicate and perfectly smooth. Rimmed along the edges was the most beautiful purple, while towards the middle it gradually faded into sky-blue.

"Olaf, it's beautiful!" Careful not to break it, she picked up the seashell and let it rest in her palm.

"I was hoping you'd like it!" 

She brushed her fingertip along the side. Then she looked back down at the snowman. "It's perfect. Thank you so much… It's so thoughtful of you."

Olaf practically _beamed_ , and Elsa could swear that his snow got the faintest rosy tint. Rising from her chair, she carefully laid the shell on the papers before kneeling by the snowman's side and pulling him into a warm hug. She knew he'd like that.

And secretly, she liked it too.

"So, what have you been doing?" Olaf asked, peeking over the edge of her desk to eye the many stacks of papers and writing materials. "Looks… very..."

"Boring?" Elsa tilted her head, fighting to hide her amusement.

"Oh, I wouldn't _necessarily_ … call it… Hmm, yeah, okay you got me," he said, shrugging. "Please tell me you haven't been cooped up in here the whole afternoon?"

"No, only about the last two hours-"

"Oh! Well that's not _so_ bad!"

"-before that it was several meetings, and I went to see all the things that need repairing in the castle."

Olaf blinked at her, owlishly, as though he couldn't quite comprehend what he'd just heard. Elsa chuckled, and rose to her feet. "Why don't we go and pay Anna a visit? I'd like to hear all about the day you had," she suggested, unintentionally holding out her hand for him. Briefly, her eyes widened ever so slightly at the gesture that had come so naturally to her, staring at her hand as though it had betrayed her trust.

Luckily Olaf didn't seem to have noticed the brief flustered look that had passed across her face, for he grabbed her hand, and proceeded to enthusiastically drag her from the room, smiling broadly.

"Olaf, slow down," Elsa laughed, as they hurried down the hallway towards Anna's door. "I don't want to trip over you."

"We're here!" Olaf exclaimed, and proceeded to push open the door with his stick fingers, without bothering to knock first. He pulled the queen inside.

"Anna! We came to visit you!"

"Who is we?" Anna asked brightly from behind her dressing screen. When she stepped out from behind it, her expression changed from pleasant surprise, to shock and then to joy.

"Oh! Hi!" She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, sheepishly watching her sister. "I wasn't expecting to see you. Here. In my room!"

Elsa smiled. "Olaf came to rescue me from drowning in paper work, and I wanted to hear about how the rest of your day went. I hope you had fun?"

Anna nodded, visibly relaxing as she sank down on the edge of the bed. "Oh, we had a wonderful time! We hiked for hours up along the beach, till we reached the spot Kristoff wanted to show us. Elsa, it's _beautiful_. I think you would love it there. This great outcropping of the cliff runs alongside the ocean, and there are these amazing pools beneath its shadow…"

As Anna spoke, Elsa slowly took a seat beside her, her eyes never leaving her sister's wistful face. Olaf quickly settled himself between them, grabbing his feet and rocking back and forth as he watched the smiles on his family's faces.

"I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Anna," Elsa said when her sister finished relaying her tale. "I can't wait to see all of these places when I go with you next time."

Anna nodded with a grateful smile.

"Well, why don't we go down for dinner? You must be hungry after all of your adventures."

The two sisters and the snowman headed downstairs for dinner, where they had a relaxing time over their meal, swapping ideas for the Midsummer's Ball. Afterwards, Elsa bid them goodnight and retired to her room. When she closed the bedroom door behind her, she realized just how exhausted she was.

A bath had already been prepared for her, and the warm, soothing water was exactly what she needed to wash away the tension in her shoulders. But even the lovely, scented bath could not erase the disquiet that the Council's suggestion of marriage had awoken within her.

She would have to speak to Anna about it, she knew that. But if she was honest with herself, it wasn't that she was hesitant to broach the subject because of Anna's growing feelings for Kristoff – Elsa had already declared that Anna would be free to follow her heart – she feared what such a serious talk might drag to the surface.

They hadn't spoken a word of Hans, just like they hadn't mentioned the Ice Storm again. And she didn't want anything to ruin this common ground she'd found with her sister. 

_Common ground I have no idea how to navigate._

With a deep sigh, Elsa climbed out of the bath and towelled herself down. Slipping into her nightdress, she undid her braid and let her hair cascade down her back, sighing contently as she ran her fingers through the tresses.

Then, like she did most every night, she opened her balcony doors to let the cool, night air spill into her chambers. But as stepped outside, she caught sight of something.

And she paused in her tracks.

Upon the stone railing of the balcony, in the silver light of the moon, lay a single flower.

It seemed to shimmer in the soft light.

Frowning, Elsa moved closer, and her hand drifted to her mouth as she gasped.

It was a magnificent purple crocus, covered in fern-like patterns of frost as fine as the most delicate lace.

Elsa stared, her heart racing in her chest, wondering where the flower might have come from. She darted to the railing and peered over it – but there was no sign of anyone.

Returning her eyes to the bloom, she carefully picked it up, studying its beautiful petals that were encrusted with iridescent frost. A crocus… it was her favourite flower, and she'd only ever seen them in the spring, when their brilliant petals would decorate the melting snow like jewels in a maiden's hair.

And with her puzzlement over the flower, came the memories as well. Many things she had tried to put behind her, many things she had tried so hard to forget. 

" _It's a crocus Jack…_ _it symbolises spring and hope…"_

" _And what are you hoping for, Princess?"_

A boy… a boy with silver hair, and a smile that could make everything better.

She couldn't help but think of _him_ , now. Perhaps she was being silly, and there was a reasonable explanation for how the crocus had gotten there. Yet there was some part of her, long-concealed beneath years of loneliness and guilt… that wanted to _believe_ …

A part of her that had never _stopped_ believing.

Never stopped hoping.

She brought the flower to her nose, and breathed in its scent. It smelled of springtime, and longing...

And the faintest, lingering hint of winter.


	5. Dying Star

Soft, morning light fell through the high windows, illuminating the Great Hall in a gentle glow. It pooled on the polished floors, making the wood gleam like gold, much like the sparkling crown nestled in the flaxen hair of the queen.

For the hundredth time, Elsa reached up to ensure that the crown was still where it ought to be. She'd been told that it was Hans who had brought it back to Arendelle, after she had so gleefully discarded it in her ice palace.

She'd promised herself, that this time, she was at least going to _try_ to wear it with pride.

Oh, she was incredibly nervous.

Elsa's heart hammered so hard against her ribs, she was certain that Captain Clancy, standing only a few feet to her left, was able to her hear it. She swallowed harshly against the dryness in her throat, forcefully keeping her hands perfectly still and folded neatly within her lap. It took every ounce of willpower she had to not start crumpling the sky-blue silk of her gown, and she could not deny that she now understood why Anna had acquired such types of fidgeting as a nervous habit. But she knew very well it would do no good to let her tension show, for she was the queen, and queens did not carry their emotions upon their sleeves.

And it would do _absolutely_ no good at all, for her subjects to witness even the slightest _hint_ of a snowflake.

Her eyes trailed over the Great Hall, momentarily resting on each guard stationed a few feet apart along the walls, before shifting to Lord Eddelbreck and Lord Adlar upon her left, to finally settle upon Lord Buckingham seated at her right. She was immensely glad for his presence, knowing full well she would need his knowledgeable input in the court session to follow. Her sister's chair, stationed directly next to hers, was still empty, and Elsa hoped Anna would arrive on time.

She _needed_ her sister at her side.

For in only a few moments, the hall's doors would be opened, and the first of her citizens would be shown in. 

It would be the first time, since that night of the coronation, that she would see her people up close again…

"Your Majesty?"

The Captain spoke gently, but Elsa almost flew right out of her seat. Her eyes snapped up to him, certain he was going to tell her that her heartbeat was making him deaf.

But he was smiling down at her, like how a father would look upon his daughter. "I assure you that everything will run smoothly. You are the daughter of the greatest king and queen I've ever known, and I know you will make them proud. And if anything were to go amiss, my men and I are here to protect you."

Elsa stilled, her breath frozen inside her constricted throat.

… _But can you protect my subjects from_ me _?_

Schooling her features into a grateful smile, she reminded herself to keep breathing. Even though she knew his statement was somewhat misplaced, it made her feel a little better nonetheless. "I appreciate it, Captain."

"The Captain is quite right. So perhaps you should heed his words and not let the temperature drop so low, my dear."

Elsa's eyes widened considerably at Lord Buckingham's words, when she realized that the temperature of the room was indeed noticeably cold. She caught sight of his twinkling grey eyes as he viewed her with impassive amusement.

A tiny smile spread across her lips, as she let herself relax. The temperature settled back to normal just when the tall, white doors were being opened.

At that moment, Anna came rushing in through the side door, and hurriedly took her seat on the queen's right in a flurry of skirts. "I'm here, I'm here! Oh, and just in time too!"

The two sisters shared a smile before they turned their attention to the first citizen who was being shown in. He halted at the stairs that led up to the raised dais upon which Elsa's throne resided. A pageboy announced the titles of the rulers of Arendelle, his clear voice ringing out through the room.

So it began, with one subject after the other bringing their concerns before the queen. Many only wished to look upon the queen herself, to hear all the tales told of her, others brought minor disputes that she was able to settle without too much trouble. And as the morning progressed, Elsa relaxed. It was by no means an easy task, but she found herself gladdened to be of service to her people. Some citizens had even brought her gifts; a wealthy merchant had laid a wooden chest laden with glittering pearls and sapphires at her feet. He charmingly assured her that not even the pearls could hope to match the shine of her platinum hair, nor the sapphires outshine her iridescent eyes. And of course he'd not forgotten the princess, bestowing a beautiful hairpin of gold and emerald upon her.

The court session was almost over, ready to adjourn for the lunch hour, when an old woman was shown in.

She was hunched over, her plain clothing hanging limply from her stick-like frame, her grey hair fixed into two braided-buns upon her head. And while everything about her seemed old and worn – even her face made one think of old leather – her eyes were bright and clever, sternly assessing every person in the throne room. As she walked up to the dais, her walking stick _clack-clack-clacked_ rhythmically upon the polished floor, echoing up into the high roof.

When she finally came to a halt, her shrewd eyes settled directly upon Elsa, and the young queen felt a strange sensation settle over her.

A shiver raced down her back.

She wanted nothing more than to turn away from that gaze, away from its intensity, but she was held captive to it, unable to do anything but remain rooted in place.

She wondered if anyone else felt it too.

The pageboy's clear voice died down, and the woman laid both her hands on top of her cane, her unwavering gaze never leaving Elsa's face.

"So this is the Snow Queen I've been hearing so much about, eh?"

Huffing, she continued to mumble something to herself, before she once again raised her voice loud enough for all to hear, "I might not be a queen myself, but I know a thing or two about takin' care of others. Been an elder of a small village in yer kingdom lassie, for over thirty years now."

A murmur passed through the gathering at the woman's strange tone, and Elsa felt the tension beginning to knot inside her belly.

Why did she get the feeling that this was not going to go very well?

"What is your reason for visiting the court today, my good woman?" Lord Buckingham asked in a friendly manner, though his clipping tone suggested he was hoping to bring the conversation to a close as soon as possible.

"I have a question for the girl up there, callin' herself queen."

Kai, the Royal Castellan, bristled like a mother hen. "Please address the queen with the proper respect!"

The woman waved her cane. "Bah, what respect do I owe a girl who can't take care of her people?"

All around her, there was a rush of voices, but Elsa gracefully raised her hand and silenced them, even as her throat went dry and her heartbeat thundered in her ears. "Let her speak," she said, clasping her fingers so tightly in front of her that they started to ache. _I will not lose control this time_. "Please, tell me why you have come here today. I want to learn how I can serve my people."

The woman titled her head at her, and remained silent for some time. Elsa knew she was being studied intently by those piercing eyes. "I came on behalf of my village," the woman answered gruffly. "The village that is suffering because of the bewitching of the seasons. Aye, we heard the stories lassie. We heard it was you that froze the crops. The crops that we _lost_ , along with most of our livestock."

A flash of bewilderment spread across Elsa's face.

She'd never even thought…

"Is this true?" Anna asked the councillors, after which Lord Buckingham nodded solemnly.

"The damage to the city itself was minimal, but the villages in the country is much more exposed to the elements. Not the entire kingdom had been covered by the Ice Storm, of course, but the reports I've been receiving about the affected villages have not been promising..."

As his voice trailed off, Elsa's heart sank to the floor, her wavering, anguished gaze once again finding the sharp eyes of the old woman.

The crone paused, resting both her hands on her cane. "I came to ask ye if these rumours were _true_. If ye really did send the ice and snow in the middle of summer."

_Don't feel, Elsa. Just answer her question. Don't think, don't feel._

Achingly slowly, she nodded. "Yes."

The woman huffed, shaking her head. "So then, what are ye going to be doing about it?"

Elsa fought to keep her mask of neutrality. If she had known how bad the situation was for the villages, she'd have seen to it that something had been done by now. "Madame, I assure you-"

"Ghmpf! The village people call me Veda. I have no use for titles. And spare me your assurances and excuses – can't feed my people with the stuff made of empty words. I've been here since yer great grandfather first became King of Arendelle so many decades ago, long before ye were even an idea in yer parents' heads. And through all these years, this is the first time I've come here meself. Never been a need to before now. For none of yer ancestors reigned ice and snow down upon our lands."

"You mean the _queen's_ lands?" Lord Adlar spoke up amusedly.

"Bah! I don't see her tillin' the fields. But whatever floats your boat."

Once more, Elsa had to raise her hand for silence.

_I will not feel. I will not feel._

Her poised composure held her together like a suit of armor – concealing the storm rising within.

"You are right, Veda," she said, her voice even and regal. Only Anna was able to notice the tightness of it, signalling that Elsa was fighting for control over her emotions. "I have wronged my people, and my own family. For as long as I can remember, I have lived with this secret, and all it has ever brought is despair. Not only for myself, but those around me as well… But I promise you, that I shall ensure that your village is restored, and your people fed. It was I who wronged you, but I will ensure that it is also I who will right that wrong."

Veda's gaze assessed her with scrutinizing intensity, until finally, ever so slightly, something seemed to soften in those clever eyes. "I will take yer word for it, girl."

When the woman was shown out, Elsa requested Kai to see to it that the necessary goods be sent to Veda's village, before she let the court disperse for the day. Then she swept from the hall, hoping to avoid any and all questions.

_Conceal it, Elsa._

Yet her sister knew her too well it seemed, quickly intercepting her in the hallway.

"Elsa, can we talk for a moment?"

"I'm sorry Anna, but I have things I need to take care of. We can talk later, I promise."

Her composure was already slipping, cracking, exposing the emotion beneath…

_How could I let this happen? Those poor people, with no way to fend for themselves…_

But Anna was quick, stepping into her way. "Please, don't take what she said to heart. You never meant to hurt anyone."

"Of course. She's simply looking out for her people. I'm fine."

"No, you're not. I can see it in your eyes."

Elsa gently pushed past her. "I'm simply preoccupied with the matter, nothing more."

_Don't feel it._

"Then why are you making the hallway freeze over?"

Anna's words brought her to a halt. Slowly turning around, she saw the floor covered in frost where she had walked, the icy fern-like patterns making their way up the walls as snowflakes fell down in gentle flurries all around them.

"When are you going to stop pretending, Elsa? When are you going to learn that you can trust me?"

Their eyes met.

… _It's myself that I don't trust, Anna._

And when Elsa didn't respond, Anna's gaze filled with hurt.

Without a further word, the princess turned away, leaving an aching Elsa alone in the icy corridor.

Her hands clenched into fists.

_Never let it show._

* * *

The library door clicked shut behind them, leaving the snowmaiden and the snowman alone in the magnificent library. Elsa's gaze trailed over the familiar room in which she'd spent so much of her childhood, lingering on the rows and rows of books filling the tall bookshelves, before she set about lighting some more candles for them.

A sigh fell from her lips.

Her heart felt as heavy as a stone.

After the court session, she'd pulled herself together and met Lord Buckingham in his study. Between the two of them, they'd discussed the situation and arranged for supplies to be sent to all the affected villages. He'd made the suggested that they go see the situation for themselves. Yet she'd hardly had a moment to contemplate the idea, when a servant had brought her a letter.

It had borne the coat of arms of the Southern Isles. She'd known, of course, that it would arrive sooner or later, but she'd rather hoped it would be _later_. For she'd known that its contents would either be good, or very bad for her kingdom. She'd had no idea how the King of the Southern Isles would respond to her treatment of his youngest brother.

With trembling hands, she had managed to open the letter and had been relieved to find that its contents had held an apology, written by the King of the Southern Isles himself. He'd also informed her in his elegant script, that he would see to it that his brother is thoroughly questioned, to ensure that he had been working alone.

 _That_ thought did not sit well with her at all.

Had Hans had _help_? Had there been other conspirators working with him? Had his entire plan been at the spur of the moment, or had he devised it since goodness knows when? She had no idea, but everything about it left her anxious. Could she even trust the Southern Isles King? For all she knew, he'd been the one to send Hans here with every intent to seize Arendelle for themselves.

Despite her wish to simply push the situation aside with the hope that it would go away, she knew it would only be resolved when she and the King of the Southern Isles met and discussed the situation in person. At least then she would be able to look into his eyes and judge his character. She'd decided to invite him to the Midsummer Ball, despite all her other misgivings.

Elsa sighed.

…And she'd been avoiding Anna.

She'd promised they would speak later, but she hadn't been able to face her yet, her mind still replaying the scene in the hallway.

' _When are you going to stop pretending, Elsa?'_

… _But am I pretending, or is this simply the way I am?_

Tiredly, her eyes flickered up to where Olaf was trying to grab one of the books from the shelf. He was standing on a footstool he'd pushed over from the corner, his tiny stick fingers reaching as far as they could go. When he failed to get the book, he huffed a small flurry of snowflakes.

A fond smile tugged at her lips, and Elsa retrieved the book for him, crouching by his side.

She was eager for the distraction.

"Dragonheart?" Her fingertips brushing lovingly over the old leather cover. "This is one of my favourite tales."

When she looked up, Olaf's smile wasn't as broad nor as excited as she'd expected it to be.

"Olaf? Is something wrong?" she asked, watching how he plopped down onto the footstool.

"Um, well, Elsa, there's something I think I should tell you," Olaf began, twiddling his twig fingers.

Elsa laid the book over her knees, tilting her head at the snowman. "Is everything alright?"

"Well… I'm not really sure how to say this, because I might sound a little crazy…"

 _How adorable can one creature possibly be?_   She smiled encouragingly. "You know you can tell me anything, and I promise I won't think you're crazy. Please, tell me."

He nodded, biting his lower lip. "I saw someone fly by the window."

Elsa blinked, taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"It was a man, with a blue cape, and hair almost just like yours!"

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

_A man… with a blue cape…_

Upon her stricken expression, Olaf took it as his cue to continue. He looked a little bashful. "You know that day on the ice…" he began, and the queen could only nod, her thoughts starting to race as she wondered where he was going with his tale.

"Well, I saw him there too… But he'd only stayed for a few moments, until he was gone again. And I just forgot to tell you, because everything had happened at once and it slipped my mind... But then I saw him again last night!"

The memory of the frozen crocus the previous night swam to the surface.

"Last night?" 

"Yes, I was on my way to check in on you, when I saw him flit by the window… So I went down the hallway, but I didn't see him again. And it was already pretty late so I didn't want to worry you. Besides, Anna came to get me and we talked about some stuff for a bit."

Swallowing down the strange emotions rushing through her, she focused her gaze back upon her little friend and grabbed his hand. "Thank you for telling me, Olaf."

He grinned. "Of course, Elsa! But… who do you think he is? Should we be worried?"

Elsa ducked her head, wondering at her own confusing thoughts on the subject.

There was only one person who it could possibly be.

But… that in itself was impossible.

Wasn't it?

"I... think I might know who it is. But I can't be sure yet. There's no need for you to worry though, okay? Why don't we go read our book, and from now on I will keep an eye out for our mysterious person. And maybe, keep this between you and me, for now? Until I can find out who it might be."

Olaf nodded eagerly, and they both made themselves comfortable on the couch, as Elsa began to read, forcibly putting the news from her already troubled mind.

The candles were beginning to burn low, their dim light throwing long, flickering shadows against the bookshelves. Outside, the summer rain was pattering against the windows in a peaceful lullaby, mingling with Elsa's voice as she read from the open book held lightly in her right hand. Her left arm was wrapped loosely around Olaf, who was sitting on her lap, a smile on his snowy face. His eyes were closed as he was no doubt imagining the tale play out before him, and every once in a while he would stop her reading with an excited exclamation or curious question about something that happened in the story.

Elsa smiled fondly down at the snowman, when she noticed that he'd fallen asleep.

She leaned her head back against the couch, her loose hair spilling across the back-pillows. She'd been pleasantly surprised to find that Olaf enjoyed the storybooks as much as she did - in fact, he wanted her to read to him every night, or more specifically, every free moment she had to spare. His enthusiasm was endless, but even he needed to rest once in a while.

She'd started to read some of her beloved books to him, which were many. Stories she had grown up with, stories that her father had read to her many times over in this very library.

Much of her childhood had been spent with her nose buried in a book. It had begun as a way to pass the lonely time, but then it became her way of escaping. She could open a book and slip into someone else's skin for a while, and not have to be the girl cursed with powers of snow and ice. She didn't have to be alone then, for she was joined by the characters in the tales, off on grand adventures to visit faraway places.

She'd read romances too, in the wee hours of the night, always with a sort of abashed nervousness.

To imagine herself opening up her heart to someone like the heroines did in the tales, well… it was a strange thought.

Elsa's eyes flickered down to the sleeping snowman, his earlier words echoing in her mind.

Scooping Olaf into her arms, she carried him to her room where she laid him onto the sofa, noting how he was as light as a feather. _Or a snowflake_ , she thought affectionately. She placed a blanket by his feet if might want it. If he was anything like her, which she was beginning to suspect he was, he'd huddle into it simply for its comfort.

After she was certain he was comfortable, she crouched by the side of her bed and lowered her head so that she could peek into the gloom beneath it. A wooden box lay deep in the shadow, and she reached for it.

Blowing the dust from the lid, she opened it, the old hinges creaking loudly. Wincing, she checked if Olaf was still asleep before fully opening the box.

Inside lay a couple of leather-bound books.

She took a deep breath. She hadn't looked at these in such a long time…

Picking up the topmost book, she flipped it open, feeling the pages brush against her fingers.

On the very first page, there was an inscription in the graceful handwriting of her mother.

_To our little princess_

_May you fill these pages with your heart's innermost secrets._

_Love,_

_Mother & Father_

Turning over the page, she was flooded in nostalgia. The inside was filled with her childlike diary entries, and drawings… Sketches she'd made of the castle, of a bird sitting in her window, of the Sor Mountains, of Anna, her pigtails flying in the wind…

She closed the book, and went onto the next one, rediscovering the images of her childhood, until finally she reached the last book in the pile.

Swallowing hard, Elsa closed her eyes for a moment, before opening the journal.

Staring up at her from the paper, was a face she'd never been able to forget. 

It was one of the first sketches she'd made of him, and it could barely be called life-like. It held all the elements of a child-like hand; his eyes were too big, his hair a mess of scribbles. But it _was_ him…

And that in itself made her heart ache painfully.

Could Olaf really have seen Jack? Or was there a different explanation? It seemed that whoever had left the flower must have been around at the same time Olaf had seen the mysterious person outside the window…

Could it have been Jack who had left the crocus?

…For who else did she know of that wore a blue cloak, had silver hair – and could _fly_?

Who else would have been able to cloak the crocus petals in frost?

As she continued to page through the yellowed paper, drinking in one drawing of him after the other, something slipped from between the pages to land in her lap.

It was a hair ribbon of ice-blue silk. Smooth, and soft and beautiful. So very long ago, Jack had given it to her as a present.

She closed her eyes against the stab of misery shooting through her chest.

Without a second thought, she slipped off her glove, and tied the ribbon around her wrist.

She could only hope…

* * *

The hour before dawn was cool and wet, water drip-dripping from gutters and the sodden limbs of trees to form ever-growing puddles along the street. A slight breeze stirred the ships in the harbour, their creaking masts like tall shadowy trees in the gloom. Elsa drew her hood lower across her eyes and continued on her brisk pace through the quiet city, listening to the sound of her boots scuffing upon the slippery walkway. No one else was up at this hour, not even a candle could be seen flickering in a window.

She was alone, an unimportant figure slipping through the shadow.

Elsa preferred the solitude. Especially on this particular journey.

Her dear Captain, however, has never approved of her sneaking away like this. One would think that after she became queen, and it was revealed that she had strong powers with which to protect herself, he would let her go without a fuss. But, if anything, his fussing had grown worse.

"My Queen, what if something were to happen to you?" He'd said earlier that morning. "You know I've never approved of you taking these trips alone. I promise you the men would not be a bother-"

"Captain, I appreciate your concern, but like I've explained in the past, this is simply something I have to do by myself... I assure you, nothing will happen to me."

"Your Majesty, at least postpone your trip until the heavy rains have passed then. The roads are too dangerous right now."

"It's not raining this morning, which is why I decided to go today. And I haven't been to their graves for _months_ , Captain. I can't put it off any longer…"

"If Lord Buckingham realizes I let you go without guards-"

"I was under the impression you didn't care for what Lord Buckingham thought," she'd quipped.

He'd snorted. "In _this_ , I agree with him."

Then he'd shaken his head and sighed softly.

"I swore to protect you, my Queen. When your parents left, your father asked me to watch over you, and I will do so until my very last breath. Please do not make me regret allowing you to go on your own."

Elsa had smiled. "If I am not back by midday, I give you full permission to send as many guards as you deem fit."

Even so, she'd felt his gaze upon her back until she'd disappeared across the bridge, and only then did it feel like she could breathe again.

For a single moment, she'd felt so giddy to be free of the castle and all of its demands, that she'd chuckled to herself, and set off on her journey with a lightened heart.

When she was starting the trek up the hills on the other side of the city, Elsa swept back the hood from her eyes, allowing herself a glance across her shoulder. The quaint houses lay nestled in the gentle hills at the foot of the Sor Mountains, the sunshine glinting off of their tiled roofs. Far away, on the edge of the horizon, the storm clouds loomed, but she hoped to be back by the castle before they once again drew near.

She turned, and continued on, taking pleasure in the solitude. She needed this alone time, to clear her head. To make up her mind about certain things. But as her journey progressed, Elsa found herself yearning for the company of her sister. Anna was full of happiness and smiles and she felt lighter in her presence… But, for this one last time, it would be best if she visited the cemetery by herself.

She had an apology she needed to make, and guidance she needed to pray for.

The road was quite muddy, and it slowed her down, making her question her choice of going on foot. Her walking boots were dirty, as was the hem of her dress, but truthfully she did not mind it too much. It was enough to simply have time to breathe, to think, to gather her thoughts.

Finally, she spotted the off-turn from the main road. Its winding trial led her into a dense forest, the trees throwing dappled shadows across her hair. Gradually, the path grew steeper, and as she at last passed through the woods, she came to the final stretch of the road that hugged the cliffside all the way to the meadow at the top.

Taking a sip of water from the waterskin she'd packed in her basket, she paused to catch her breath and faced the wide open expanse beneath her.

 _Beautiful_ , she thought.

The ocean was an endless aquamarine mirror, embracing the coastline in white, dancing sprays. Arendelle, with its tiny ships and houses, lay at her feet, basking in the respite from the rains.

Standing there, she could understand why this spot had been chosen as the cemetery of Arendelle's previous royals and rulers.

It was freedom, pure and simple.

_No tall towers, no thick walls, no closed doors… A place where we can continue to watch over Arendelle, from high above._

Turning around, she slowly continued her way up to where several old stones resided in the shadows of the surrounding pine trees. Her grandparents on her father's side was also buried here, and she first paused at their graves for several moments before she made her way to her parents' memorial stones.

Elsa kneeled in the damp grass in front of the stones, her eyes trailing over the etched names of the lost king and queen, and her heart ached with longing. _I miss you so much,_ she thought, her mind filling with the images of the last few weeks. Would her parents be angry with her, for what she'd done? Was this why they'd believed it was best to lock her away, to prevent such catastrophes from happening?

A soft sigh escaped her lips, her features tinged with guilt. She could not help but feel that she'd let them down, that the life they had chosen to lead for her sake had all been for naught.

Closing her eyes, Elsa brought her hands together beneath her chin, her fingers intertwining.

"Father…" she said. "I'm so sorry for what I did. All you ever wanted was to _protect_ … not only to protect others from me, but protect me from myself as well. And then, in the end… I failed you. I failed to control my magic, and so many had to suffer for it. Especially Anna…"

Elsa swallowed past the lump in her throat. "I truly miss your firm guidance… It feels as though I am drifting at sea, drawn in by the tides refusing to let me go. I wish you were here to grab my hand."

Tears stung her eyes.

More than anything, she wished her parents were still alive. She wished for her father's firm hands on her shoulders, and her mother's warm hugs. Her mother had been a gentle woman, but she'd stood by Elsa's side with a fierce determination, despite _everything_. The queen would have known what to do about her future marriage, about how to reconcile her and Anna's relationship, about the debacle with Hans…

She would have known.

And Elsa did not.

What was she to do? She'd been queen barely for a few weeks, and already she felt as though she was drowning.

When her eyes opened, she noticed a tiny glass bottle at the foot of her mother's stone, half-obscured beneath the weeds, filled with a bouquet of wilted flowers. Curious, she gently picked up the vase, finding the flowers to be sweet peas, their once-bright petals now fluttering down to the grass like shreds of paper.

She wondered if it could have been Lord Buckingham who had brought them.

Carefully replacing the bottle, she looked up, and saw a butterfly flitting past. As it hovered nearby, happily flitting from one flower to another, Elsa suddenly thought of a song her mother used to sing to her when she was still a child. The words came easily, and they made her troubled heart swell with glee.

_"Butterfly mine, with pretty wings,_   
_Red and brown and red and blue,_   
_Can't you find any of your flowers?_   
_Butterfly mine, with pretty wings,_   
_Sit yourself down on the swaying straw,_   
_Butterfly mine,_   
_I don't want to frighten you,_   
_Only want to reach you,_   
_Only want to get you,_   
_Only want to treasure you!"_

For a long time after her voice had faded, she remained upon her spot. She enjoyed the quiet, the serenity of the field and the gentle warmth of the sun, letting her thoughts wander where they would.

When she grew hungry she unpacked her small lunch of fruit and oatcakes, and after she ate she rose from the grass, dusting down her dress. Her gaze trailed over the meadow, picking out the brightly coloured patches of flowers. With a smile still playing upon her lips, she gathered a handful of wildflowers, remembering how much her mother used to love the colourful blooms.

 _Perhaps Anna would like them?_ She thought as she kneeled to collect more flowers.

She placed a bouquet at each stone, and one in her basket for her sister, and then she left, taking the path down the cliff again, feeling lighter than she had in a good, long while. She had needed this trip; the walk and the fresh air – and being able to say those words aloud had made her feel that perhaps she could somehow move forward. As soon as she got back home, she would speak to Anna, and then she would arrange for a visit to the outlying villages – where she could personally see whether there was anyone else who required aid.

She was contentedly swinging the basket in her grasp, as she began her descent along the cliff.

But then, from somewhere above, a feint rumble echoed through the cliffs, causing Elsa's steps to slow as her eyes darted upwards. Warily, she stopped, listening.

It sounded like the distant rumble of a storm, but the sky was yet clear overhead.

A single pebble skittered down, her eyes trailing its path until it landed harmlessly at her feet.

For a few long moments there was only silence, and the queen was about to continue on her brisk pace, when the sound came again, like a great clap of thunder, almost right above her head. She froze on the spot, wide eyes snapping up to the looming mountainside.

There was a heartbeat of silence, before the cliff gave a mighty roar.

Elsa stood, watching with deepening horror, as great rocks broke loose from their perch, dust and gravel spewing in their wake as they tumbled and slid down the sheer face of the mountain.

She felt as though her legs had turned to solid ice, whilst every single part of her burned, screaming for her to _move_ –

Suddenly there was a flash of blue and silver. Something seized her upper arms and collided fiercely against her chest. A screech tore from her lips, the sound lost in the deafening bellow of the rockslide as she found herself being flung against the cliff. Her back slammed harshly into the stone, the breath knocked from her lungs, leaving nothing but a faint gasp to hitch from her throat.

A figure, a man, was pressed against her, her fingers clinging to his shoulders as though her very life depended on it. But it was all happening too fast, and all she could see of him before she reflexively buried her head against the deep-blue of his cloak, was his pale white hand, raising a wooden staff.

The ground shook, and the rocks rained down towards them. Elsa squeezed her eyes shut, certain that she'd met her end.

And then the frost was everywhere.

It covered the ground beneath their feet, the side of the mountain against which they stood, it even spread out across the man's cloak, snaking from her fingers in icy blooms. She could feel it slipping from her, like a delicate glass slipping from her grasp whilst she still desperately tried to hold onto it. And the more she tried to control it, the further it withdrew from her, and the more terrified she became. She _fought_ to control it, not wanting the magic to hurt him-

But that's not all the frost did.

All around them, a dome of thick, transparent ice had crackled into existence. The rocks tumbling from the mountain crashed against its surface, Elsa's body jolting with every rock that slammed down above their heads, certain that the ice would break and that they would be obliterated beneath the gravel. Tiny cracks were shooting through the sheet of ice, but it held fast, and the rocks slid harmlessly across it, like the pebble that had fallen down to her feet only moments earlier.

Her eyes, wide with terror and disbelief, were fixated entirely on the dome.

_Am… I… doing that? Or…_

Within moments, the rockslide was over, only a cloud of dust remaining in its wake. Her fingers cramped painfully from their tight grasp on the man's shoulders, but she couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think-

Vaguely, she was aware of the icy dome shattering into a million snowflakes, to form a thick drift of snow that settled around them. 

But all she could think about, was his heart beating against her chest alongside the fluttering of her own, like two terrified, caged birds hopelessly trying to be free.

The world went silent, shrinking until there was only the two of them, and in those moments before Elsa slowly dared to look up at her saviour, she already knew what she would see.

Their eyes met. And Elsa stared straight into the depths of Winter.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The [source](http://norwegianmelodies.com/) for Elsa's butterfly song.


	6. Gleaming Snow

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

_No, it can't be-_

"Jack?" she gasped, her fingertips flying up to press against her mouth _. It can't be, I'm dreaming, I must be dreaming._

The winter spirit jerked away from her as though she'd burned him, his eyes stricken with bewilderment. He scrambled back, chest heaving, eyes never leaving her face.

Neither one of them spoke, cloaked in a stunned, tense silence. All Elsa knew was the harsh pounding of her heart, the sunlight glinting on his shock of silver hair, the snowy paleness of his skin, the way his deep-blue, frost-rimmed cloak hung from his broad shoulders.

And his eyes, his _impossibly_ blue eyes, staring at her as though she would evaporate into thin air at any moment.

"You can… _see_ me?" he breathed, voice tinged with painful astonishment.

Elsa was surprised to find her vision blurry with tears.  She nodded, her knees feeling weak. She stumbled back against the cliffside, her gaze still fixed upon his features.

Her heart would not stop _pounding_.

For he looked he looked _exactly the same_ as she remembered.

"Where did you- _How-_ " She gestured feebly with her hand, not even sure what she was asking. There was too much swirling inside her head, too many questions, feelings, all clashing against each other.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she realized she was shaking like a leaf upon a tree.

"Are you alright? Did you get hurt?"

Her gaze faltered against his intense stare. She glanced down at her feet, nodded. This was all so extremely _bizarre_   She felt as though she'd slipped into another's skin, and was watching the event play out before her, with no control whatsoever over the outcome.

"I… I'm fine, thank you."

He shifted on his spot. "I'm sorry. I hadn't expected to– I hadn't thought that you'd-"

She swallowed. He didn't need to complete his sentence for her to know that he hadn't realized that he'd be able to _touch_ her. By the moon, a few minutes ago, she hadn't known it either!

A beat of uncomfortable silence passed between them.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked quietly. 

An apprehensive shiver tingled down her back. She could only imagine what would have happened if he _hadn't_ been around.

When he didn't answer, Elsa's eyes flickered up to him, noticing how his expression had darkened, his gaze staring off into the distance.

Finally, he turned back to face her. This time, she didn't look away.

"Would you like the full story?" he asked.

Uncertainly, Elsa nodded.

"Then why don't we go sit down over there somewhere?" He gestured towards the woods. "You look like you might collapse any moment."

Despite his lighter tone, that trace of distress remained in his gaze, and it was intently focused upon _her_.

She straightened, her legs momentarily refusing to obey, but then she managed a tiny step, and then another and another. Halfway down the path, Jack gathered up her discarded basket, and silently handed it back to her. The wildflowers she'd picked for Anna lay strewn across the dirt, crushed beneath the rocks. Her eyes caught their dulled colours, as she manoeuvred through the debris of the rockslide.

In the shade of the trees, safely out of distance of the treacherous cliff, Elsa settled herself down on the fragrant grass. Folding her legs delicately to the side, she smoothed her skirts, her peacock-blue dress flaring out like the petal of a flower. Jack settled into a cross-legged position some feet away from her, letting his staff lay lightly across his knees.

Elsa brushed her hands across her hair, trying to smooth the tresses, as well as settle the tremors still shaking through her fingers. She was certain she would wake up at any moment, to find she was alone along the road, having imagined all of it. Perhaps she'd fallen and hit her head? Because it couldn't really be true, that after all these years, he was right there in front of her.

Her gaze darted to him, lingering for a long moment, before dancing away.

Jack did not look at her.

His eyes were fixed on the far side of the forest.

And he had _no_ _idea_ what to say to her.

His features clouded into a scowl. How pathetic was that? Ever since that day of the Storm, all he'd been able to think about was her! For years, he'd missed her, _longed_ to see her, to speak to her again, to hear her laughter, to see her smile up at him…

And now? Now he was sitting there as though the cat's gotten his tongue!

It happened so fast. One moment, he was watching her from afar, the next, he heard those rocks starting to tumble down… He'd acted on pure instinct, only knowing that he didn't want to let her get hurt, never stopping to consider whether he'd be able to _touch_ her, to actually move her out of the way. The thought had never crossed his mind that she would actually see him… that she would _believe_ in him.

In the back of his mind he wondered what had changed between that day on the Fjord, when she had been blind to his presence, and _now_. But that matter was hardly as pressing as the present. How was he supposed to explain? Oh hey, I've just been following you around, nothing weird or anything, just making sure you were safe. And oh yeah, I saw your sister die that day on the ice. That's the gist of it. 

Jack sighed, raking a hand through his hair, before finally returning his gaze towards her. Her delicate fingers lay clasped in her lap, the white of her gloves stark against the deep-blue of her dress.

For some reason, seeing the gloves on her hands tugged at his heart.

"When you… created the storm over Arendelle, I felt it all the way across the world," Jack finally said, deciding to go with the simple truth.

Her eyes widened in response.

"I'd sensed that something wasn't right, so I came to see what was happening. I suppose it was the imbalance of Winter that I could feel." He paused, watching her flaxen features. "Winter is my season, after all. It's my job to check these things out." He allowed a hint of playfulness to creep into his tone, hoping it would help to... break the ice.

But Elsa's features remained stricken, and her voice sounded impossibly small when she asked, "When …exactly did you get here?"

Jack suddenly found the grains of his staff very interesting, trailing his fingertips along a spiralling groove. "When that swordsman tried to kill you," he gritted out as evenly as he could manage, though the bite was still evident within his tone.

Elsa could only stare, his words refusing to sink in, despite recalling what Olaf had said the previous evening, despite her hope of his return. 

"So you… saw… _all_ of it."

The half-question, half-statement hung in the air between them, like a sword waiting to strike.

Glancing back up, searching her eyes – eyes that were looking back _at_ him, and not _through_ him – he nodded.

Elsa's gaze dropped down to her hands, her fingers twisting into her dress. She didn't even notice the frost flourishing over the grass and the tree against which she sat, slowly covering everything in an icy blanket. She was mortified, unable to breathe, unable to turn her thoughts away from that one fact pounding through her blood-

Once again, he had seen the monster she was.

What must he think of her? She who had frozen her own sister's heart? After all these long years, he returned only witness the weakest moment of her entire life.

The shame of it, the _terror_ of that realization, left her frozen.

"Elsa, I'm so sorry-"

Her gaze snapped back to him, the frost suddenly spiking into tiny ice crystals. " _You're_ sorry? I'm the one who should be apologizing to you, Jack."

_I'm the one who should be apologizing to everyone. Every single person who has ever been close to me, had gotten hurt...  
_

She turned her face away, concealing the tears that stung her eyes. She'd held her belief in him concealed for so long… Until these last few days, when the seedling of hope had started to bloom anew.

Suddenly, she was a little girl again, making a promise to a winter spirit that she would always believe in him.

 _And_ in herself.

It seemed that in the end, she'd failed them both.

With tears kept firmly at bay, she remained quiet. There was no words for the feelings swirling inside of her, only a never-ending storm of ice and snow.

So she did what she always did.

She pretended.

"Thank you, for saving me…" she said, her features schooled into a composed mask. "I owe you my life."

He didn't answer immediately, his gaze resting upon her as he tried to decide what to say, knuckles going white as his fingers dug into his staff. His thoughts were muddled with the hazy impressions of her guilt, her terror… It was feint, hidden behind her fortified walls, but it was there nonetheless, flowing into him as her powers crept ever outward, sending shimmering frost to cover the grass around them.

"I promised to look out for you, didn't I?" He finally said, voice low and soft, eyes intently locked with hers, willing her to understand. "And it seems to me that I have quite a few years to make up for."

He felt her resolve flicker; the slightest trembling of those walls.

And then they slammed down, shutting him out, sending a painful tug through his chest.

Elsa rose to her feet. "I need to get back. I'm sure the Captain will be worried, and I have things I must attend to-"

" _Elsa_."

His firm, husky voice cut through her excuse, as he straightened and looked straight into her eyes.

"What, Jack?" 

Studying her face, he realized that now wasn't the time for any further explanations or discussions. He knew he wasn't planning on going anywhere, and he would _prove_ that to her.

"I can take you back," he said with a grin, opening his arms widely.

"No, that's alright, I'd prefer to walk-"

"The Elsa I remember wouldn't have thought twice."

Her eyes flashed with a sudden spark of anger. "Perhaps I am _not_ the same Elsa you remember."

Jack only quirked a crooked smile at her. "I guess I will have to find out."

She stared at him, searching his eyes, but he turned away from her and gestured towards the road. "Shall we?"

When she didn't answer he tilted his head back at her, capturing her with his sapphire hues. "At least let me escort you back to the palace. Wouldn't want another rockslide to sneak up on you."

Elsa fought down the sudden glimmer of a smile that threatened to spread across her lips.

* * *

The walk towards the city was quiet for the most part. Elsa gathered flowers along the way, to make a new bouquet for Anna, and every once in a while, Jack would hand her one he'd picked himself.

It was all so bizarre, she had no idea what to do. So she simply went on as normal, fooling herself into believing that this was something they did every day.

 _Pretending_ that it wasn't strange to see him again; that there wasn't a part of her that was elated, the same part that made her glance at him whenever his back was turned…

"I'm not going to disappear you know," he quipped, gaze trained on the road ahead. "Unless you _want_ me to, that is."

Their eyes locked.

And he was _smirking_ at her.

A soft blush tinged her cheeks as his laughter filled the air.

She refused to acknowledge him again after that.

When they reached the main road, two guards came up the path. She shot a nervous glance in Jack's direction, looking back and forth between him and the guards, until she realized that they were definitely not be able to see him.

The entire situation put her on edge, but Jack simply leaned against his staff, uncaring.

"Your Majesty!"

The guards came to a halt in front of her, and bowed as they spoke. "The Captain sent us to find you. He said that he was simply following your earlier advice."

Elsa shook her head, smiling. "The Captain is nothing if not exact."

"Allow us to escort you back home, Your Majesty."

"Of course. Please, lead the way."

By the time they reached the outskirts of the city, the winds were blowing furiously, summer rainclouds drawing near once more. The neat braid she'd done that morning now lay in windblown tangles down her back, and she pulled up her hood.

Her eyes flicked to Jack as they entered the city.

No one seemed to take notice of him, and while she was not entirely surprised, she could not help but wonder if there was anyone else out there who believed in him after all these years.

As they approached the bridge that led to the castle, Jack leaned in close to her ear, "See you later, Princess."

Elsa turned to face him, her lips parted in question, but he was already leaping into the greying sky, his cloak waving in the wind like a graceful flag.

* * *

They had barely set foot inside the palace, when Anna came flying down the staircase. "Elsa! I was so worried!" She clasped Elsa's hands in her own, before she'd had a chance to object.

Staring into the wide, green gaze, Elsa felt her heart twinge with guilt. "I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to be away for so long."

Anna paused, searching her eyes. "When I couldn't find you, Sir Brennan told me where you'd gone… I only wish you'd have told me…"

Elsa sighed, dropping her sister's hand. "Anna-"

"Is it always going to be this way?" Anna asked quietly. "Are you always going to try and carry everything on your own?"

The queen's lips parted, a pained look crossing her features.

"Didn't you think that maybe I would have wanted to go _with_ you? Elsa, it's been three years, and we've barely even spoken to each other about them! Don't you know how hard it is to deal with their death on my own?"

A fragile silence settled over them, while everyone present in the foyer tried to respectfully ignore the quarrel taking place in their midst.

"It is hard for me too," Elsa murmured.

The anger slipped from Anna's eyes, to be replaced by regret. "Then why… Why can't you trust me to be there for you? I want to help, but I can't do anything if you keep shutting me out. Even after yesterday's court session, you refused to speak to me…"

Elsa felt frozen to the spot, unable to stop what was happening. "Anna, I hadn't meant to shut you out, but I… "

They stared at each other.

_Please, understand… It is not you, it is me. It's always been me._

"I only want to protect you," she finally said.

Anna shook her head. "I don't understand! Why are you still so afraid? Is it because of what that woman said in court? You don't _need_ to protect me, Elsa-"

Elsa stiffened. "How can you even say that? Of course, I do," she snapped. "What don't you understand, Anna? I am the only one who can protect you from myself! How many more times do you have to get hurt for you to realize that?"

Without another word, she brushed past her sister, trying to ignore the bewildered hurt that had appeared in Anna's eyes.

In the safety of her room, Elsa leaned her back against her closed door, her trembling hands reaching up to cover her face as she fought to get her emotions under control. Frost seeped out from beneath her feet – but seeing it sent a frustrated groan to escape her lips, and with a single flick of her wrist, she banished the magic.

Her mind was still reeling at how quickly the conversation with Anna had slipped out of her control, and the regret was like an anvil pressing upon her chest. The last thing she wanted to was to hurt her – she'd come back from the cemetery with such good intentions.

She wanted to let her in; she wanted to be her _sister_.

But it seems that she simply doesn't know how to be the sister that Anna wanted.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa stepped out of her balcony doors-

To find _him_ sitting idly upon the railing, one knee hugging his chest, his other leg dangling over the edge.

She froze on the spot, the wind tugging at her hair. "What are you doing here?"

Jack hopped down from his perch, his lips quirking into an easy smirk. "I came to see if you survived everyone's fussing."

When he saw her distress, his smirk fell from his features.

Elsa had gone as stiff as a board. "I'm fine," she said, taking a retreating step backwards. "If you don't mind, I think it's best if you leave."

Elsa turned away from him, convinced it would be better if he left right that second. She needed to _think_ , she needed to get away from him, to clear her head. She needed to be alone, alone where she could sort through her confusing thoughts.

Being alone was the only thing she knew how to be.

It was the only thing she _deserved_ to be.

"Elsa, _wait_ -" he grabbed her wrist, and while the touch only lasted a fraction of a moment, she acutely felt the pressure of his icy fingers wrapping around her arm, as though the entire gesture was happening at a snail's pace. She spun around, snatching her hand back as her wide eyes stared up at him.

He slowly straightened, though his cerulean blue eyes never left her face, nor lost their intensity. "Don't go."

She stilled, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

Staring into the depths of those eyes, picking out every imaginable shade of blue, she wondered at the clashing of hope and fear colliding within her chest. And for the second time that day, the memory of the promise they had made so long ago stirred in the back of her mind.

With her gaze drifting away from him, her chest constricted around her heart. When they'd made that promise, she'd been nothing more than a _child_. A girl with all the hope in the world, a life ahead of her, and a deep love for the magic flowing inside her veins.

Her gaze flickered back up to him as she remained motionless, uncertainty making her stay rooted upon the spot. She did not know what to think, seeing him again so suddenly after so long. There had been years when she'd been able to convince herself that he hadn't been real, that she'd imagined all of it… But for even longer periods of time, she'd cursed herself for betraying him in the worst possible way.

Yet now he also knew what had happened to Anna because of her, and it simply struck too close to the reason she'd told him to leave _back_ _then_.

Every part of her wanted to flee. 

It was safer that way.

But looking up into those eyes, eyes that she hadn't seen in _years_ , she simply could not find it within herself to leave. Because when she looked at him, she somehow felt like _that_ _girl_ again.

That girl whose heart had been filled with hope and light, and not constant fear.

And she hadn't even imagined it was _possible_ for her to ever feel that way again; to, even just for a moment, be rid of her fear.

Finally, she nodded, and he relaxed, his features slipping into a brilliant smile.

Elsa turned her gaze away from him, to gaze at the garden cast in dappled shadows. The wind howled through the tree-tops, carrying the scent of the approaching rain.

His winter-blue cape waved in the wind, brushing against her side.

"So… would you like to tell me how you managed to create a snowstorm powerful enough that it drew me all the way across the world? You didn't miss me _that_ much, did you?" He said it playfully as he leaned his elbows upon the railing, looking up at her with that crooked, teasing grin that she could clearly recall from her memories, but Elsa could only manage a glimmer of a smile.

His words were plucking on feelings she'd thought long since buried. The terrible guilt, the _longing_ she'd felt after she'd realized her foolish mistake in having banished her best friend. She recalled sitting on that very balcony, wrapped in the same quilt that now lay upon her bed, waiting, hoping… Wishing upon the stars that he would come back.

But Elsa forced the thoughts from her mind, instead focusing on what he had _really_ asked. She could imagine he must have questions about what had happened.

And for some reason she wanted to explain it to him. Though perhaps more for her own sake, than his.

She laid her hands upon the railing, wondering what to say and where to start. 

"Well, it all began on the eve of my coronation, about three weeks ago… Anna and I got into an argument, over a slight disagreement…"

Elsa's face was blank, her voice void of any emotion, as she briefly relayed the events to him that had led to her powers freezing the kingdom… and how she'd frozen her own sister's heart. And all the while, she started to feel numb inside, as though she was describing the weather, and not how her sister had died.

When she finished her tale, neither one of them spoke for a while, Elsa not daring to look at him, for fear of what she might see. Would he despise her, like she did herself? He had been there when she'd first hurt Anna, but this time, it was so much worse.

This time, her entire kingdom suffered.

This time, her sister had died.

"Only an act of true love could have saved her. Anna… she'd been able to save herself. Through her love for _me_. A love I've never deserved. All I've ever done is push her away, and _hurt_ her. Like I do everyone else around me…"

A beat of silence passed between them, as Elsa's fingers dug into the stone of the railing until they ached in protest.

"But I guess that's all I've ever been good for… being the monster that I am." She turned away from him, feeling the hurt swell inside her chest as she tried to persuade herself that it would be better if she never had to see him again.

_Don't feel, Elsa. Just don't feel._

"I think you should go."

He rounded her and she stopped, her eyes dancing up to his.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said his cold breath falling against her hair.

Anger, bright and sudden, flashed across her face.

" _Why_? Why could you possibly want to stay around me, Jack? Didn't you hear anything I just told you? I'm the very reason that my sister _died_ , I'm the reason that my entire kingdom froze in the middle of summer!"

She stared at him, eyes as hard as chips of ice. "I'm the reason that my family had to live in solitude…"

Her gaze filled with pain, wavered.

She turned her face away from him. "I'm the reason that you left."

"And you're also the reason why I came back," Jack said, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "I was _there_ , Elsa, I saw everything. I saw her die, and I saw how that broke you heart. I _felt_ -"

He stopped himself, tightly shutting his eyes and exhaling before looking at her again.

"You are _not_ a monster. You never have been, and you never will be."

He shook his head, exasperated. "Did you think I would blame you? If I thought badly of you for even a moment, then why would I even come back? Try to have you see me again? Why would I…"

Elsa's heart trembled at his words, her eyes wide in disbelief.

How could he _not_ blame her? How could he stand to be in her presence, when she'd betrayed him so terribly? How could _Anna_ not blame her?

Why could they not see that she would only ever bring them despair?

Jack sighed deeply. "Elsa, if you still feel the same as you did back then… Then all you need to do is say the word, and I'll go. If that's what you want, then I won't bother you again."

For a single moment, as her breath stilled in her throat, she considered it. It would be easier that way. Easier, because she'd been alone for her entire life. And in being alone, she did not have to feel.

She could be numb; frozen.

But his returned presence was like sunlight glistening upon the snow, like the coming of spring after a harsh winter.

And, no matter how much she tried to deny it – no matter how much she was trying to fight against it… she _longed_ for that light. Had longed for it ever since the day he'd left.

"No," she whispered, her eyes downcast. "I don't want that."

"Me neither... I'd like to get to know the queen you grew up to be."

Something in the way he said those words made her heart flutter restlessly against her ribs. Yet it only lasted a moment, until her doubts settled inside her chest again, like stones sinking to the ocean floor.

"I'm so confused, Jack… I…"

_I'm so sorry for what I'd said all those years ago. I'm so sorry for making you leave…_

He shook his head, smiling at her. "Hey, I know this all happened very suddenly. I hadn't expected it either. But why don't we try to put the past behind us? And maybe, we can start over?"

His hopeful gaze locked with hers.

"Besides, it looks like you could use some fun. And who better to help you out with that, than the Maker of All Things Mischievous and Fun himself?"

To his surprise, a small, sincere smile spread across her rosy lips. 

"There's that smile," he murmured. Before he realized what he was doing, he reached up to gently brush his index finger and thumb against her chin, the touch lingering only for a moment until he withdrew his hand back to his side, and clenched his fingers into a fist.

* * *

As evening fell, so did the rain, heavy raindrops hushing down upon the palace roof. Princess Anna sat by her window, watching as the water blurred the outside world, just like her own feelings were entirely murky and unreadable. She sighed deeply, rubbing her hands across her face.

She felt terrible.

She'd fought with Elsa. In front of _everyone_.

And how did fighting ever make anything better?

Hadn't she learned that by now?

Anna raked her hand through her loose hair before plopping her head down into her palms.

Just then, there came a knock on the door.

"Come in…" Anna mumbled through her fingers, not even bothering to look up when the door creaked open.

Soft, shuffling noises came closer and halted at her side.

"Anna?"

Olaf's big, child-like eyes peered up at her as he leaned further down and tried to get a peek of her face through her hands.

"What's wrong?"

Sighing, she straightened in her seat, and tried to muster a smile for the snowman. "Elsa and I had a fight. And something about it keeps bothering me…"

Olaf plopped down on the floor, settling his back against the wallpaper just beneath the high window. He gazed up at her, grabbing his snowy feet. "You can tell me."

Anna felt her mouth quirk into a smile. Then, she shook her head and continued to stare out the window. "Well, I guess that after everything that happened I thought things would get better… That she would open up to me. But… it's like she still doesn't trust herself. And I just don't know why… Or what else I can do to make her see I'm here for her."

"She's still afraid, isn't she…?" 

Anna nodded. "She is… After yesterday, with that old woman in the court, it's like she slammed down all her walls again. Olaf, I have no idea what to do. I don't even know how her powers _work_ , so how can I ever hope to help her? For all my life, she never once told me she had magic. And she tried to hide it from me by staying away from me… But, why won't she just let me help her? I don't understand why she's still so afraid…"

She paused, biting her lip, dreading the words rising up inside of her, yet having no power to stop them from spilling out. "I don't want things to go back to the way they were, Olaf… I could never bear it."

A gentle touch upon her hand made her glance down to see Olaf standing by her knees as he laid both of his stick-hands upon hers.

"It won't be the same again Anna. I know it might not always seem that way… but Elsa needs you, just like you need her."

He was smiling, so determinedly optimistic and bright that she felt a tiny bit of hope return to her heart. "How did you get so wise, Olaf?"

"I've told you. _Love_. _Expert_."

He grinned, and their joined laughter resounded through the room as the rain poured down against the windows.


	7. Falling Snowflakes

Soft, morning light spilled through her glass, balcony doors, the sheer-white curtains stirring slightly in the breeze. Elsa sat upon her bed, biting her lower lip as she stared at the mountains framed in the doorway, their summer greens seeming even more vibrant after the recent rain.

But despite the beautiful morning, there was only one thought playing through her mind, over and over again.

Had Jack truly come back? After all these years… had she truly seen him again?

It was so unreal, everything that had led to her having a conversation with her old time friend, _right there_ on that balcony like they'd had hundreds of times in the past. For so many years, she'd hoped for nothing more, and now that it finally happened, her mind was still reeling from seeing him again.

A soft sigh fell from her lips, her gaze dropping down to the blue, silk ribbon tied around her wrist.

Jack's ribbon…

She brushed her fingertips across the silk, watching how the colour deepened within the sunlight, before her hand slowly curled into a tight fist.

Rising to her feet, Elsa picked up her gloves from her dresser, and then caught sight of the basket she'd taken on her trip the day before. Inside lay the wilted bouquet of wildflowers she and Jack had gathered for Anna.

And something about seeing those blooms, so wilted and dull, made her breath still inside her throat.

Scooping up the flowers, she felt a pang of sadness echo through her as she realized that if she did not make a desperate effort to change her relationship with Anna, then it too would eventually end up like these lifeless flowers.

And that was the very last thing she wanted.

* * *

 

"Your Majesty cannot be serious."

"I'm perfectly serious."

Lord Eddelbreck squared his shoulders, as though readying himself for a battle. Elsa wished he would rather just drop the issue. The day was turning out to be particularly hot and stifling after the rain the night before, and she was in no mood for negotiating about something she simply knew she must see through.

"I do not believe it is of Your Majesty's best interest to go for a tour around the kingdom, away from the protection of the city," he said. 

A delicate brow quirked upon Elsa's face. "And why is that?"

He seemed to struggle with his answer for a moment, though he steadily kept her gaze. "If the visit from this village elder was anything to go on, what does Your Majesty expect to find out there? A welcome with open arms? It cannot be safe-"

"She won't be going alone, dear old Eddelbreck," Lord Buckingham chimed in, regarding his fellow Councillor with his usual passive amusement as he rhythmically tapped his fingertips upon the table.

The scholar shifted slightly in his seat, his keen eyes bearing down heavily upon Lord Buckingham before returning his gaze to the queen. "There are many matters here that need Your Majesty's attention-"

"Are you saying that the welfare of the people in these villages are not as important as these other matters?" Elsa asked, somewhat more snappishly than she had meant to. The heat was not doing her any good today.

"Of course not, Your Highness, but please-"

"It was I who had caused them suffering, and it is only I who can truly set things right again. You do understand that, don't you, my lord?"

He paused, studying her face. Finally, a sigh escaped his lips as he inclined his head. "Of course, my Queen."

"Then it is settled. Lord Buckingham will accompany my sister and I as we take our tour of the villages. I trust that I can leave the city in your care while we are away, my lords?" She pinned both him and Lord Adlar beneath her gaze, feeling a strange sense of determination settle across her shoulders.

As they gave their agreement, she wondered why Lord Eddelbreck would object so heavily to her idea. Surely it wasn't that foreign a notion for a queen to survey her own lands? Lands she'd never even laid eyes on before?

She would have to ask Sir Brennan to keep an eye on things as well – at least she was certain that she could trust _him_.

"I will make the arrangements, Your Majesty," Lord Buckingham offered, as he interlaced his fingers. "We can stay over at my estate for a few days, though the old manor has been standing empty so long, I fear it might have crumbled to dust by now. But it would be good to visit the place again, and have your Loveliness grace my old abode."

A flickering of a smile passed across Elsa's features. She nodded. "I appreciate the offer, my lord. I've never seen your country home before. When will we be able to leave?"

"The soonest will probably only be at the end of next week, unfortunately," Lord Adlar supplied as he looked over the documents clasped in his plump hands. "There are ambassadors from France and Denmark visiting next week, to reestablish some of the old trade agreements."

"Alright, next week then," Elsa said, and their discussion turned to other matters.

* * *

Elsa drew in a deep breath, her knuckles poised before the intricately painted door.

She could not help but wonder how many hundreds of times had Anna stood before _her_ door like this, contemplating whether it was even worth it to knock. Wondering if _this_ time things would be different – if the door would be opened.

It was this thought that finally made Elsa rap her fingers lightly upon the wood.

"Anna? It's me…"

There was a long moment of silence.

Then, soft shuffling noises followed, pausing on the opposite side of the door. When it finally opened, Elsa released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Green eyes locked with crystalline-blue, the sisters taking a quiet moment to assess the other. The queen searched those eyes for any trace of anger or sadness, but there was only a hint of surprise, and something else she could not quite define.

The princess stepped aside without a word, motioning for her sister to come in. Elsa's hands clasped tightly in front of her as she stepped past her, feeling as though the ice may escape from her hold any second now…

But it did not – for when she turned back to face Anna, the princess was _smiling_ at her.

And the very next moment, Anna embraced her in a tight hug, enveloping Elsa with her warmth and kindness.

With her _forgiveness_.

Stunned, Elsa's wide eyes settled upon the cascading, red hair pressed against cheek.

And then, her arms slowly encircled around her sister, hugging her just like that day on the Fjord when everything had changed.

"I'm sorry Anna…" she whispered, her voice straining past the lump in her throat. "About everything. About yesterday and the day before and the day before… I haven't been fair to you, I've shut you out completely…"

Anna withdrew, resting her hands upon Elsa's shoulders. "You have _nothing_ to be sorry for."

Elsa shook her head. "No, that's not true. Yesterday, I had intended to speak with you… I would have told you where I was going, I just… I've been used to being alone for so long, always doing things on my own, only ever trusting myself, that it's difficult for me to rely on anyone else."

"I know. I've been expecting too much from you too soon," Anna said with a tiny smile. "But Elsa… you need to help me _understand_. You've been living with this secret for your whole life, and I only came to know of it a few weeks ago. And I… know you must have had your reasons for keeping it from me. I won't ask you to explain. But if we're never going to _talk_ about everything that has happened… then there's nothing I can do to _help_ you."

Releasing a shaky breath, Elsa nodded. A flickering of a smile spread across her lips. "You're right. There are many things we need to talk about."

So the two sisters settled themselves in the shade of the wisteria upon the princess's balcony, and Elsa began to tell Anna about the things that have been going through her head the last few days. She started by telling her about the Council's suggestion for marriage after which she gently broached the subject about the letter she'd received from the Southern Isles.

Elsa expected Anna to be filled with fear or doubt at the news, but again her sister surprised her when there was nothing but determination to be found upon her face.

"Well, I think it was the right decision to invite the King to the Midsummer's Ball," Anna said. "If there really had been someone working with Hans, we need to know about it as soon as possible."

"That's what I thought too. Though I truly hope the King will bring news that Hans had been working alone."

A long moment of silence settled over them, Anna mulling over the new information as Elsa wondered what was going through her sister's mind.

"You really told the Council that I could marry whomever I wish?" the princess finally asked.

Elsa nodded. "Of course, Anna. I want you to be happy."

A look of utter wonder and sincerity passed across Anna's features, her lips slowly tipping into a smile as she basked in the meaning of those words.

Until she spoke again, and the grin slowly faded. "It doesn't seem fair to me though… That I would get to choose, and you might not."

Elsa let out a soft sigh as she gazed out across the Sor Mountains, her fingers tightly interlacing in her lap. "I must put Arendelle first. I've always known this… And it's not as though it will happen overnight. There are many things that need to fall into place before I will consider any suitor."

"Hmm," Anna mused, a flash of mischief dancing through her eyes. "So long as he knows he will need to get past _me_ first."

Elsa chuckled.

It was a moment before the princess spoke again. "We don't… have to talk about it or anything, but Elsa… At least tell me if you're alright? After what happened in court the other day…"

With a single nod, the queen let a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. "I am. In fact, I spoke with the Council earlier, and we arranged for a little trip… You're to come with me and Lord Buckingham to go and inspect the villages for ourselves."

Anna blinked, surprised. "Oh! Really? Well, that's good! We've never even seen the villages… And I'm glad that you're doing this. To see for yourself."

Elsa smiled gratefully, before she recalled another matter. "That reminds me… there's actually something else I wanted to talk to you about too. I… have something for you." The queen straightened in her seat, and took out a neatly folded document from the pocket inside her skirt.

"Oh? A gift?" Anna grinned, sitting up straight as she peered at the document.

Elsa's lips quirked. "I suppose that depends on the way you look at it."

Anna tilted her head. "So? What is it? Come on, tell me!"

"I think you're going to be quite busy for the next few weeks. Especially if you're going to get everything done in time for the ball…"

A frown dipped between Anna's brows as she took the letter from her sister's hand and opened it to sweep her eyes over its contents. "This is a list of renovations to be made in the castle…." Anna's eyes flicked back up. "You mean… you want me… To… do this?"

The wondrous bewilderment upon her face was bitter-sweet.

"Yes. I can't think of anyone else better suited."

Anna suddenly squealed in glee and leaped from her chair to fling her arms around her sister, her laughter spilling into Elsa's flaxen locks. "Oh, Elsa, thank you! This is going to be so much fun!"

"However, there is one condition," Elsa cautioned, fighting to restrain her own gleeful smile.

When Anna pulled away, she grinned broadly and nodded. "Of course. Anything."

"If you're going to have something fun to do, I thought to balance it out with some serious work as well. Which is why I want you to join my Council, as an official Councillor of the Queen." She paused. "If you _want_ to, that is…"

Anna's eyes widened, before that sunshine-smile swept across her lips.

Elsa took that as a good sign, as she gently said, "I think it's only appropriate that _both_ of us strive to make Arendelle a powerful kingdom once more, don't you?"

Anna nodded, weaving her fingers through Elsa's. "Together?"

"Together."

* * *

After parting with Anna, Elsa made her way back through the hallways towards her study. She could finally breathe again, pure and simple relief still racing through being. They hadn't yet touched the subject of her powers, but Elsa finally felt as though they'd crossed some of the distance between them.

It was a start.

 _Maybe_ e _verything really is going to be alright…_

As she turned into the hallway where her study was located, she caught a movement from the corner of her eye. At the end of the corridor there was a young boy with bright red hair, slipping out of Lord Buckingham's office. The lad didn't take notice of her, and after a quick glance over his shoulder, he sped off into the other direction.

Elsa came to a halt, a frown dipping between her brows. Making her way over to the door that had been left ajar, she peeked inside, finding it to be empty.

There was no sign of Lord Buckingham.

 _Perhaps he'd asked a servant to fetch something for him…?_ she wondered, pulling the door firmly shut.

She would have to ask him about it, just to make sure.

And perhaps caution him to keep his study locked from now on.

* * *

Her room was alight with pink and lavender hues, as the magnificent sunset cast its glow over the city of Arendelle. The cool breeze blowing through her open doors was a welcome relief after the warmth of the day, and she tried to let it soothe her senses.

But she could not quite still the anxious rhythm of her heart.

For the entire day, she'd forced herself to focus on what needed to be done; on arranging things with the Council, on speaking with Anna, on finishing her piles of work… But now that she was finally alone, she could not stop her thoughts from wandering where they wished to…

_Jack…_

Was she going to see him again?

A sigh fell from her lips. Even if she really had seen him again, even if it had not been a trick of her imagination, why would he come back again? The friendship they'd shared had been so long ago, when she was only a child. Why should he care for the older Elsa, the one who could not stop hurting the ones around her?

Her stomach was wrought with nerves and fear as she began pacing across her room, shooting an uncertain glance at her balcony doors every now and then.

Would he even come back _today_? Surely he had a million things that kept him busy…

With a defeated sigh, Elsa sunk onto her bed. Angered at herself for even allowing the hope to bloom inside her chest, she grabbed a book off her nightstand, and continued to read where she had last left off. But as the hours passed, the words continued to dance before her eyes in unintelligible sentences, while her thoughts continued to stray to the silver-haired spirit.

When she finally could take it no longer, it was already past ten in the evening, the world covered in a dark, summer's eve.

Leaving the book discarded on her bed, Elsa sat up, clenched her hands into fists, and walked out to her balcony.

All was quiet and peaceful; the crickets singing from the shadows, the moonlight etching the night in hues of blue and silver. Elsa stepped up to the stone railing and peered over it, her gaze searching the landscape for a sign of Jack.

Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping ever so slightly.

"Waiting for someone?"

Elsa whirled around, her eyes widened as she found him leaning casually against the doorway, a sideways grin spread across his lips.

"You came," she said, the words flying from her lips before she could stop herself.

His grin became a smile, as he turned his gaze to the sky, before looking back at her.

Their eyes locked.

"I said I would, didn't I?"

For some reason, her heart leaped in her chest, the anxiety from earlier slowly ebbing away, to be replaced with an entirely _different_ form of nerves.

"Come on, I want to show you something." He was grinning again, while he walked over to pause at her side.

She frowned. "Where are we going?"

"Not far," he said, gesturing up to the roof. He took another small, tentative step closer to her, and she kept watching him uncertainly, wondering what he was up to. Then, he carefully wrapped his arm around her waist, though still managing to keep a bit of distance between them. Elsa blinked, flustered, but in the breadth of a moment, he flitted them up to the roof, and the motion had been so sudden she let out a startled yelp as he gently set her down upon the tiles. Her fingers reflexively reached out to grab his shoulder while she steadied herself, and he allowed her to regain her balance before he withdrew his arm back to his side.

"What do you want to show me?" she asked, trying to not think of the last time she'd been up here so many years ago… How she'd struggled to climb up onto the roof by herself, in the hopes that he might be up here, waiting for her. 

"You'll see," he quipped, nimbly climbing up the first steep gable, before turning and holding out his hand for her – just like he always used to.

She watched him for a moment, biting her lip, before releasing a soft sigh and lying her hand in his. Together they made their way to their spot – the spot they'd always frequented, a flat stretch of the roof, next to one of the towers – and Elsa found herself overwhelmed with nostalgia.

How _easily_ they fall into their routines of yesteryear, bringing with it a misleading sense of familiarity…

And yet, _everything_ between them had changed.

When they reached the top, Elsa's breath caught in her throat.

The sprawling bay was drenched in silver moonlight; the still waters like a shimmering mirror, reflecting the twinkling stars. And above it all, low on the horizon, was the moon - a pearl swathed in midnight-blue velvet.

"I'd forgotten how beautiful the view was from here," she breathed.

Jack smirked. "It does have a certain quality to it, doesn't it?"

She shot him an amused glance, and they settled themselves upon the tiles – Jack with his staff across his knees, Elsa with her long dress flowing across her legs.

For a while, they sat in comfortable silence, simply admiring the scene before them.

"Do you usually go for such long walks by yourself like you did yesterday?" he asked then, sending her a sideways glance.

Elsa sighed, drawing her knees up to her chest and interlacing her fingers over her legs. "Sometimes... But I was careless this time. Sir Brennan tried to persuade me to wait for a while, he'd said the roads might be dangerous. And he was right. But I… I really needed to talk to _them_ …"

Jack studied her features. She hadn't directly spoken of her parents the day before, but it didn't take much to put it all together. 

"Have they… been gone for a long time?"

"Three years. They died at sea, when their ship sank during a storm."

Jack's breath froze in his lungs. He couldn't imagine what it must feel like to lose someone like that. To know that they're gone, and they're never coming back… to know that it's impossible for you to ever lay eyes upon them again… How did she manage to go on, after losing them?

_Three years…_

How lonely had she been, when two of the few people in the entire world who knew about her magic, was no longer there to help her?

"I'm sorry," he finally whispered, fingers tightening upon his staff.

She turned to face him, her eyes locking with his as a small, kind smile spread across her lips. "Thank you. And thank you for saving me yesterday. I don't want to think about what would have happened if you hadn't been there."

A half-amused huff escaped his lips. "Yeah, well, I guess some things happens for a reason, right?"

Something passed through her eyes, her gaze remaining locked with his as she studied him, but then the corner of her mouth tipped into a bitter-sweet smile and she turned her face away from him again to look out across the wide expanse before them.

Jack followed her gaze, his thoughts returning to how her parents had passed away – out there in that open ocean, with no hopes of rescue… Could he have helped them, had he known…?

_I should have been here for her…_

With a deep breath, he tried to force aside the dark thoughts.

"So… about that snowman," he said in an effort to lighten the heavy silence that had settled over them.

Elsa's lips quirked. "His name is Olaf."

"Olaf? Why does that sound familiar…?"

"Well, that's what Anna and I used to call the snowmen we built when we were kids…"

"Ah, that's right!" He grinned, recalling a day when the two young princesses had built a snowman from the snow he'd made for them in the garden courtyard - complete with a carrot nose and stick fingers. "You made him, didn't you? This Olaf?"

"Yes…" Elsa smiled, thinking back on how easily and freely the magic had flowed from her that day. "I didn't know he would come alive, though. I'm still not sure how that even happened… I made another snowman as well… to guard me when I was in the Northern Mountains. I wonder if he's still up there…"

She looked up at Jack again. "Is it unusual, Jack? For me giving life to something that should by all rights be inanimate? What I mean is, have you ever… met another spirit, or someone, who can do something like that?"

Jack slowly shook his head. "No. The only being I know of who can give life is Mother Nature herself. But that's not saying there are others out there who can't do something similar. There are so many kinds of spirits in this world, Elsa. I would never be able to name them all."

"Really?" She tilted her head. "I know about the trolls… and I remember you once told me about the other seasonal spirits, but I didn't know there are other types of spirits too."

A smile lit up his face. "Yeah, my _cousins_ as Mother Nature would call them, are the governing spirits over the other seasons. But there are also smaller spirits that each have their own purpose, or embodiment as a part of the seasons. I don't know a lot about the other seasons' spirits, but I've met some of mine before."

"What are they like? Do they look like us?"

He chuckled. "Not all of them, no. They're as varied as the many thousand stars in the sky. From spirit-animals to strange creatures… The ones I've recently come to meet though, _they_ kinda look like us... They're tiny bearded men, and they live in the coldest of places, where the mountains are completely covered in snow during the winter. They're often called Barbegazi, though I don't know if that name is the same everywhere… They like to create avalanches with my snow, and they glide on the waves all the way down the mountains..." He smirked. "I have to admit, it's kinda fun."

The corner of Elsa's mouth quirked upwards. "Sounds a little dangerous to me."

He laughed, eyes twinkling. "I wouldn't recommend it as a pass time for _you_ , no. But the Barbegazi are benevolent, despite their love of dangerous entertainment. They would also help people who get stuck in a storm – they'd help to guide them out, or towards shelter."

"Do they listen to you?" she asked, toying with the end of her braid. "You being their governing spirt and all?"

Jack quirked an amused brow. "Never actually asked them to do something before. They've been here long before me, and they do what they've always done." He shrugged, a half-grin lingering upon his face. "I guess they'll listen to Mother Nature though…"

They were quiet for a while, until Elsa spoke again. "I don't suppose that you've heard of other humans… with magic. Like me?"

The winter spirit tilted his head, before looking off into the distance. "There's no one else like you, Elsa. That I know without a doubt. And besides…" he turned his hues back at her. "You're my one and only believer, so I'm not exactly an expert on humans."

A dull pain flared through Elsa's chest, her brows dipping into a frown. "You mean… you don't have… anyone else? Even after all these years?"

He shook his silver head.

"You were the first to believe in me. Anna was the second. And of course, now… it's just you." His eyes settled on hers, a wide grin on his lips. "But hey, don't get me wrong. I'm definitely not complaining."

Elsa bit her lower lip, her gaze dropping away when she realized something. "Actually… It's _not_ just me."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Olaf told me he'd seen you. Or well, he said he saw a strange person on the ice, and that same person flying by the palace windows…"

Slowly, a brilliant smile spread across Jack's features. Then, he laughed, and before she could say another word he flipped into the air, gracefully perched on the top of his staff like a bird.

Elsa could not restrain the laugh bubbling up from inside of her, her fingers covering her lips as she chuckled.

"So, he saw me? Without ever having heard of me before?"

She nodded. "I made him during the Ice Storm, so… unless… it is because _I_ made him, and my memories somehow inspired his belief in you..."

After the words left her mouth, she was stunned into silence.

Could that really be it?

Jack drifted back down to her side, watching as regret played out across her features.

"I'm so sorry, Jack," she murmured. "You've been alone for all this time, and it's all my fault…"

She turned away from him, feeling the guilt swirl and twist inside of her.

_If only I'd never told you to leave…_

But then, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of something, and she slowly looked up. A butterfly, made of shimmering frost – like blue stardust – was flittering towards her, flapping its delicate wings as it left a ribbon of snowflakes to trail after it. Her eyes instantly lit up, watching with wonder as the creature circled around her, leaving the snowflakes to land upon her hair.

"Butterfly mine, with pretty wings…" Jack murmured, echoing the words from the song she'd sung in the cemetery the day before… And when she caught his gaze, he was smiling, his eyes fixed intently upon her.

"It's _not_ your fault Elsa. You were a child, with the world resting on your shoulders… If Olaf can see me because of you… Well, to me, that means that somewhere deep inside, you never stopped believing. And that is more than I could ever have asked for."

His smile slowly dropped from his lips, gaze drifting away. When he spoke again, his voice was low and husky, barely audible. "If anything, I should have known better... I should have kept my promise to you."

Elsa swallowed, watching the soft, silver-blue light of the butterfly reflecting in his crystalline hues. Then, before she even knew what she was doing, she'd reached out to grab his hand.

His gaze snapped to hers.

"Maybe all that really matters… is that we're both here, right now. Despite everything that's happened, we found our way back to each other." 

For a long moment, Elsa watched his eyes, feeling the ice of his skin seep through her glove while he slowly laced his fingers through hers. Her mouth went dry as she glanced down at their joined hands, before his melodious voice drew her gaze back up.

"I promise, Elsa… From now on, I will always be here for you. Whether you believe in me or not, it doesn't matter…"

Her lips parted, heart beating painfully against her ribs as all she could do was return his intense stare.

"I'll be your guardian, till the end of time."

There was nothing in the world she could say to describe the feelings rising inside her chest. The ever-present storm inside of her flared and ebbed, suspending her breathing as she watched him, unable to tear her gaze away from his.

But he seemed to understand as he simply smiled, gave her fingers a gentle squeeze, and let go.

They remained in silence after that, the butterfly still flitting between them. Elsa held out her hand, and the creature settled upon her fingertip for a moment, spreading its wings, before it took off into the night and disappeared amongst the stars.

After they silently made their way down the roof, she paused in her doorway and turned to face him.

"It was you who had left the crocus, wasn't it?" 

"A crocus? Hmm, no, can't say I know anything about that."

" _Jack_."

He chuckled, holding up his hands. "Alright, you caught me."

"But, where did you find one? They're not in bloom _here_ , right now."

"They're not actually in bloom right now, anywhere, for that matter… Not in abundance anyway."

"So how did you…?"

His wintry eyes settled upon hers, capturing her within that intense gaze. "I searched until I found one."

"Why?" she breathed, her voice barely a whisper.

Ever so slowly, the corners of his mouth grew into a smile.

"Because I hoped."

Then, he grinned at her, his pearly whites flashing against his pale skin, and she thought her heart might stop.

All the while, her own hope – a blue ribbon around her wrist – burned as though made of fire.

"Goodnight, Princess."

"Goodnight, Jack Frost."


	8. Frozen Petals

The icy wind whipped through his hair as he pirouetted across the cloud-filled sky, bursts of ice and snow spraying from his staff to cover the edge of the mountain-top. His laughter rang out through the storm as the flurries of snow only intensified, making his cape flare and snap in the gale.

"Come on, wind! Take me higher!"

Up and up Jack Frost went, the blizzard howling fiercely through the cliffs. Against the slopes, the trees now wore thick blankets of snow, their forms hardly recognisable in the grey-white vista – and when the mountain was entirely cloaked in a snowy embrace, Jack flew onwards to continue his work. He came across a raging waterfall, its stream still running swift and strong through the winter landscape. With a swipe of his staff, the water crackled into sparkling ice, shimmering like crystal in the dim light of day. At the bottom, where the waterfall had splashed into a deep pool, there was now a mirror-like sheet of ice so smooth that Jack could clearly see his own reflection staring back at him.

He grinned, fondly swooping his fingertips across the flawless ice.

Then, with a contended sigh he settled onto his back, the comforting cold seeping into his body.

Above him, the storm raged on in blurs of white and grey.

But when he closed his eyes, all he saw was two crystalline eyes, staring into his own.

"Elsa," Jack murmured, his breath a wisp of fog that swirled into the air.

Ever since that night on the roof, he'd visited her every day he could. He simply wasn't able to keep himself away, nor did he wish to. For so many years he'd longed for her company again, and knowing she believed in him again… Knowing there was _someone_ to return to; a real, living person who he could call a friend, who was always _there_ …

It was the best feeling he could imagine.

And yet, it was also strange.

Everything between them was achingly familiar – the last few days had proven they could still talk as they used to. He could still make her smile, even if that smile was no longer as bright as it was all those years ago. She was no longer the little girl he'd known. The playful and bright princess who had been filled with joy and who had loved her magic – who had never been able to let a day go by without using her powers somehow.

Now, she was a queen, with all the duties and responsibilities that her station demanded of her. An ever-present sadness was within her eyes that only sent a stab of guilt straight through his heart every time he saw it, every time he _felt_ it tinge the very air around her.

He could _still_ sense her feelings and thoughts. It was no longer as intense as it was in the beginning, when in that moment upon the Fjord he'd felt as though their very souls has fused together. Instead, it seemed to have evened-out somehow, or perhaps it was slowly fading away… He couldn't be sure. She only let her magic slip when she was scared or had lowered her guard a little. And there had been a moment or two, when she _hadn't_ used her magic, when her feelings would still swirl through his being…

Was it so wrong of him to long for the moment she would _choose_ to use her magic, so that he could know if that connection was truly there? If it was still as strong as that day she'd ended the Storm?

He scowled. 

_What's wrong with me? She isn't even aware of any of this… And it will only serve to make things more complicated than they already are._

Forcing those thoughts aside, he let his mind return to the last few days, and everything that had happened between them. Somehow, through the fear and pain lingering in the edges of her features, he could yet see the traces of that girl he used to know… in the way her wintry eyes would light up when they spoke, in the way her lips would quirk into a glimmer of that smile he remembered. 

And it gave him hope that he could somehow make it better again. That maybe he could make up for the time he'd lost with her, or even just take her mind off her troubles for a little while every now and then.

He'd promised to be her guardian, after all…

Even though she was no longer a _child_.

Another sigh wisped into air.

_No, she's certainly not a child anymore… She'd grown up, while I'd stayed exactly the same…_

It was confusing – reconciling the girl from his memories, with the woman, the _queen_ , she had become – but he could only imagine how strange it must be for _her_ , to know that he hadn't aged a day, while in her case… thirteen years was a long time.

_Time enough for her to change so much…_

But despite everything, she had let him back into her life, and he'd gained a chance to be part of her world once again.

_At least, until…_

Slowly, his eyes drifted open, their iridescent depths reflecting the turbulent sky.

* * *

The week crawled by, it's passing marked by the official joining of Princess Anna to the Council of Arendelle. The other Councillors, especially Lord Buckingham, had welcomed the Princess with open arms, stating that they'd known it had only been a matter of time before the Princess joined them in their ranks.

The embassies from France and Denmark had also arrived during the following days, and Elsa was beyond glad that she'd appointed Anna to the Council. The Princess had a way with other people – her quirky and friendly nature quickly set others at ease – a skill which was invaluable to smooth over relations with the other countries. Especially now that there were so many stories circling about the Snow Queen and her mysterious powers.

Preparations for the Midsummer Ball was also progressing and Lord Adlar was continually assuring the two sisters that it would be the most splendorous occasion Arendelle had ever seen. He'd decided that the feast was to be a masquerade, which was causing quite a stir among all who had heard of it. A Midsummer Masquerade Ball in _Arendelle_? The mysterious and strange little kingdom with a queen who could supposedly make it snow? Everyone who was anyone was clammering for an invitation, eager to see the Snow Queen for themselves.

As the week went on, Elsa allowed herself to leave some tasks in her sister's hands, while she and Lord Buckingham held court every day. After that very first court session, she was much more apprehensive, but she tried her best to focus on her citizen's concerns and questions, rather than on her own doubts.

"Let's just take it one day at a time, Elsa," Anna had said. "One day, and one problem at a time. And then everything will work out fine, you'll see."

Elsa tried her very best to believe that.

The renovation of the castle was also in full swing. When Anna wasn't working with Elsa on setting their kingdom to rights, she was working on the project, one chamber at a time, several teams of staff standing ready at her every command. The old furniture had been removed, the wallpaper cleared off, and the repairs were progressing at a steady pace. The Princess was confident that they'd be done in time for the Midsummer Ball.

There was one room, though, that Anna was going to clean and sort out without the help of any servants.

The bedchamber of her parents.

The Princess stood in the doorway of her parents' spacious, high-ceiling bedroom, her wide, gaze trailing over the solemn, abandoned space. The furniture had long ago been covered with sheets, their dusty-white appearances looking like ghosts in the gloom. Everything else seemed to blur together in hues of sombre greys and greens…

Taking a deep breath, Anna took a step inside, fingers curling into fists.

She half expected her mother to step out behind the dressing screen, to greet her with a soft smile, or her father to rise from his favourite armchair by the fireplace. But all that awaited her was empty silence, and echoes of lives long gone.

Squaring her shoulders, she marched over to the windows, and with a firm tug, she threw open the curtains. A cloud of dust blew into the air, settling on her dress and red locks – and drawing a series of sneezes from her nose. "Ugh, that probably wasn't very smart," she mused, her nose still twitching. Heading over to the next window, she wisely pulled on the curtain rope instead, letting the curtains open neatly.

With the light now streaming through the windows, the room didn't look nearly as depressing – though it _did_ reveal the thick layer of dust that had settled within every nook and cranny.

Then, as though she were afraid to disturb the ones who used to occupy the room, Anna began to slowly and quietly circle through the room, touching her fingertips upon the sheet-covered furniture here and there, her green eyes trailing over the things that had been _theirs_.

She slowly approached her mother's side of the chamber, and it was then that Anna came to a halt.

Ever so faintly, there was a scent… that heart-wrenching, familiar scent … of her _mother_.

Hesitantly stepping to the vanity, Anna carefully removed the sheet that covered its contents, before casting it aside. Now the smell was much stronger, and her eyes quickly settled upon the source.

Her mother's sweet pea perfume. 

Anna's shoulders slumped slightly.

There was a tightness in her chest that had nothing to do with the dust in the air.

She hadn't thought it would be this disconcerting to step inside this room after so long… She'd thought it would be alright, that she'd gotten over the worst of her grief. But standing there, alone inside the room her parents had spent so much of their time, she felt the sting of tears at the backs of her eyes. 

The door to the hallway opened wider with an obnoxious creak, and a walking crate of cleaning materials stepped inside.

"I don't know a lot about cleaning, but this box seems suspiciously heavy. What did that woman put in here? Bricks or something?"

Setting the box upon the floor, the tall, blonde man straightened, his soft, brown eyes slipping to where the Princess was trying to conceal her tears by quickly wiping her eyes.

"Hey," Kristoff said, coming to stand at her side as he reached out to gently lay his large hand upon her shoulder. His features had clouded with concern. "You okay? If you don't want to do this anymore, then I'm sure we can get a cleaning team in here within two seconds."

"No…" she said softly, taking a deep, shaky breath. "I still want to. I just… didn't realize it would affect me this much."

"I understand… I can imagine this must be very hard for you." Gently, he raised his other hand to rest beneath her chin, coaxing her to look up at him. "…But I'm here for you every step of the way."

That put a little bit of the brightness back into her eyes, and she gave him a brave smile.

They set to work, starting by opening the windows wide and removing all of the sheets from the furniture. Before long both of them were sneezing as they began dusting and sweeping, clouds of dust rolling out from the room. It was tiresome work, but in a way it was also gratifying. Somehow, through the pain that had settled inside the hollow beneath her heart, Anna started to feel… closer to them again. By seeing their old things, and touching the belongings that had meant something to them, returned a little bit of them to her life.

_I wish Elsa was here, doing this with me…_

Wiping a hand across her brow, Anna decided to start sorting through her parents' wardrobes next. Opening the intricately painted cupboard, she took a deep breath. Her mother's clothing still retained her scent – that lingering hint of sweet pea – and though it brought another wave of longing, Anna smiled in remembrance. Running her fingers across the rows of dresses, feeling their soft material beneath her fingertips, she allowed herself a moment to just remember…

"You must miss them a lot, don't you?"

She felt his comforting presence come up behind her, his chest gently touching the back of her arm. Turning her face up to his, she nodded. "Every single day… But in a way, it feels good to do this. I feel like I can remember all the good times again. Like when Elsa and I were both still little and we'd sneak in here and try on all of Mother's beautiful gowns."

A soft chuckle escaped her lips, green eyes hazy as she saw a memory from years ago. "And we'd put on her jewels too… I remember Elsa had once placed her pearls on my head, like a crown…"

Kristoff tilted his head, looking down at her with a tender expression. "Are things going better between you two now? You've been so busy with your new position as Councillor that I hardly got the chance to ask you." He cracked a smile, gently shoving her with his elbow.

She grinned and playfully wagged a finger at him. "You're going to have to start making appointments to see me, _Kristopher_."

"Hmm. Sooner or later I'll have to stand in line with the other citizens to get a glimpse of you during court," he said with a grin, slowly leaning in closer as he reached up to place a lock of her hair behind her ear. He watched as her beautiful emerald eyes twinkled with mirth, and he was so glad to see that a little sparkle of happiness had been returned to her once again.

"But yes, things are better," Anna said, smiling.

He grinned. "I'm glad."

And before she had a chance to object, he gently pressed his lips to hers.

Then, lest he entirely forget himself, he quickly pulled away and grinned at the soft blush blooming across her cheekbones while she slowly opened her eyes to peer up at him.

"Well, at least I still get to do that," he murmured and grabbed her hand to place a kiss upon her knuckles. "But for now I'd best get back to what I am _supposed_ to be doing."

Anna's heart fluttered as she watched him return to his task, and she turned back to her mother's wardrobe with a widening grin.

With care, she started to take out the clothing, one dress at a time. She certainly didn't want to give the clothes away, and she was certain Elsa wouldn't want to either – so perhaps there were still something they could wear. She was half-way done, when something at the back of the cupboard caught her eye. A stack of boxes and other paraphernalia were perched upon a beautiful, old trunk – it was a faded, deep-green, with golden roses and intricate patterns painted upon its woodwork. Intrigued, Anna carefully placed all of the clutter aside before stooping down to take a closer look at the trunk.

Running her fingers along its edge, she wondered what her mother could have stored within and why she'd stored it there of all places. Her fingers came to a stop at the centre of the chest, where the metal was shaped into an eagle with a crown perched upon its head, its wings spread wide. Anna recognized the emblem as her mother's family's heraldry.

"Kristoff?" she called, gaze still fixed upon the trunk. "Will you come and help me for a moment, please?"

Once Kristoff had taken out the old trunk and placed it on the floor, the two stood over it. Anna tried to open the lid, but it wouldn't budge. Thoughtfully, she tapped her finger upon her chin. "I wonder what could be inside it... And look, the keyhole is shaped kind of strange…" She gestured to the centre of the eagle – it was a grape-sized, oval-shaped opening, signalling that no normal key was going to fit.

"Maybe we'll find the key between her things?" Kristoff suggested.

Anna nodded, looking up at him. "You're probably right. Let's keep an eye out – I'm kind of curious to see what's inside."

But even hours later, when they were both tired and dusty, there had been no sign of anything that could possibly unlock the trunk.

* * *

The crocus was as beautiful as that first night, its petals still encased within a blanket of lacy frost that had saved it from wilting. When the original film of ice had started to melt, she'd carefully weaved a tiny bit of magic around its petals once again, to ensure it didn't die. And even just that momentary use of her power – the _choice_ of using it, and not having it slip out of her control – felt like the first sunlight of spring after the long, freezing winter.

Twirling the delicate bloom slowly between her pale fingertips, Elsa watched as the frost caught the light, making it shimmer like tiny, encrusted diamonds.

' _I promise Elsa…. I'll be your guardian till the end of time…'_

Those words _still_ sent a thrill racing down her spine, and every time she recalled how intensely he'd looked at her, it got just a little bit harder to breathe.

_My guardian…_

Rosy lips quirked into a half-smile.

She could remember how that name had come about. So very long ago, she'd asked him if he was like a guardian angel, and he'd jokingly agreed to fulfil the guardian part, if not the _angel_.

It had given her such a sense of security, knowing that there was someone like her out there. And she hadn't fully realized it back then, but he must have felt the same about her too, in a sense. After all, he had been alone before she had come along, with hardly a friend in the world to keep him company.

Is that what they were now? Friends? After all this time had passed between them…

_I'd grown up, while he is still the same as always._

It was a little disconcerting, in truth. To have thirteen years go by, it was only normal to expect the other to have aged as you had. But of course, Jack Frost, Spirit of Winter, wasn't anywhere near _normal_.

A soft sigh escaped her lips.

In barely a few days, they'd started to mend the rift that her mistake had torn between them. She still wasn't quite sure what to think about all of it. The fear was still there, her ever-present lifelong companion. It felt as though she were walking upon the edge of a chasm, just waiting to make a single wrong step and be plunged into the dark depths. She had allowed herself this little sliver of happiness… A piece of happiness that was gradually growing with each day, as things between her and Anna was also getting better.

But at the same time, she couldn't entirely let her guard down. She kept asking herself why she should deserve to be happy, when people in her kingdom was suffering because of the Storm she'd made, when she'd hurt so many people in her life because of who she was… Keeping her fears close always reminded her to be a better person. To be afraid was to be cautious, and if she was cautious, always aware, then there was a smaller chance that she'd hurt Jack, or Anna, or anyone else ever again.

Or be hurt herself…

And yet she can't help but admit that she's been looking forward to their long talks. He was _everything_ that she wished she could be – playful, unafraid, carefree... His very presence made her forget to always hold herself in check.

With Jack, it was as though she could _let go_ … Even just a little.

_I wonder if I'll see him tonight…_

Carefully leaving the crocus on her nightstand, she was making her way to her desk when there came a knock upon her bedroom's door.

Before she could respond though, Anna peeked inside, grinning at her. "Hi! You busy?"

"I –" Elsa started, though she didn't get another peep out as Anna entered, Kristoff following on her heels. Blinking in surprise, Elsa's brows dipped into a frown at the two of them coming for such an unexpected visit. Even stranger was the big, old chest that Kristoff was carrying.

They came to stand beside her desk, Anna with her hands clasped behind her back, and Kristoff placed the chest on the carpet.

"Well, this is a surprise," Elsa said, a smile slowly growing on her lips.

Kristoff quickly straightened and bowed, quite awkwardly, before he said, "Good evening Your Majesty."

Elsa's lips pursed in amusement before she clasped her hands in front of her. "Please, Kristoff. One would think that if you come into my room unannounced you'd dropped the formalities. It's Elsa."

He let out a breathy chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced between the two sisters. "Right, of course. Elsa. Sorry about barging in here like this, but-"

"We found this between Mother's things," Anna supplied, clearly hard-pressed to contain her curiosity and excitement. "And it won't open. So I was wondering if you knew anything about it."

Elsa looked down at the trunk, and slowly shook her head. "No, I don't think I've seen it before. Didn't you find a key?"

"We searched, but it doesn't look like a normal key would fit though, so I'm not exactly sure what we're supposed to look for. We could have missed it. I don't know – all this mystery is just making me more curious to find out what's inside."

"Hmm," Elsa mused, gracefully crouching down to study the intricate detail of the eagle emblem. "I suppose it must be some of her private documents… Maybe something relating to her family, or diaries perhaps…"Leaning in, she peered intently at the keyhole, noticing the intricate grooves at the back of it. 

Rising to her feet, she faced them. "I'm certain the key will turn up somewhere…"

"I really hope so," Anna said with a relenting sigh, and Kristoff gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

"I take it you made progress then?" Elsa asked. 

Anna nodded with a half-smile. "I think so… The rest of the renovations are coming along well, too, though I don't think everything will be done before we have to leave for our tour. But… I was thinking that once we've finished cleaning up and sorting everything out in mother and father's room… You should come take a look and help me decide what we're going to do with all of their things. You know… what we should keep…"

Meeting her sister's gaze, Elsa nodded, seeing the same feelings mirrored in those green eyes as what was no-doubt displayed in her own. "Of course."

A moment of silence passed between the three, until Elsa spoke, "Well, why don't you two go get cleaned up for dinner and I'll meet you downstairs? You look as though you might collapse from hunger any moment."

Anna and Kristoff shared a tired grin, both eager to get rid of their dusty clothing. As they headed off, Elsa closed her door behind them and turned to look back at her balcony.

She stepped outside into the lovely evening air, and watched the stars appear overhead. Twilight was settling over the mountains and the city, and soon everyone would be inside to rest after the long day.

She told herself she wasn't searching the sky for him, but still her eyes trailed over the stars, wondering if she'd catch a glimpse of…

_My guardian._

She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice the smile spreading across her lips.

As she was about to head back inside for dinner, a soft noise suddenly rose up from the garden, drawing her attention. Stepping to the railing, Elsa curiously peered over it into the shadowy gardens below. She could hear two voices, whispering in hurried tones. Intrigued, she scanned the area, wondering…

Until her gaze fell upon a shock of red hair, its colour gleaming in the light of a nearby torch.

Is that…?

_That boy… He's the boy from the hallway!_

She could see him standing on the garden path, half-concealed beneath the shadows of a tree. He was looking up to someone, but the person had their back turned towards her, and she could not make out any distinctive features from the shadowed figure, except that they were wearing a long, hooded cloak.

Her feet moved out of their own accord. Only when she was half-way to the garden did she pause to ask herself if she was overreacting. Perhaps the two events had nothing to do with the other – it could be entirely innocent and unrelated. After all, when she'd told Lord Buckingham about the boy, he'd claimed there was nothing missing from his study.

But something told her that it was indeed somehow related.

And yet, as her feet quickly carried her to the place she'd seen them, there was no trace of anyone.

Elsa stopped, a frown playing out across her features as she let out a long sigh. Turning back, she decided to head straight to the dining hall, but as she turned a corner she accidently walked squarely into someone.

"Your Majesty!" Lord Eddelbreck reached out a hand to steady her. "My deepest apologies, I didn't see you! Are you alright?"

"Oh! Lord Eddelbreck! I'm afraid my mind was entirely in another place…" she said graciously. His clever, green eyes looked kindly down at her as he adjusted his monocle.

"Will you be joining us for dinner, my lord?"

He smiled politely. "I thank you, Your Majesty, but unfortunately I have a very urgent matter to attend to."

"Oh? Is everything alright?"

"Indeed Your Highness," he said reassuringly, his bushy moustache slightly curving up as his smile widened. "It is simply a private family matter. No need to worry at all. Thank you again for the invitation, and I apologize that I must decline."

"No apology necessary. Please, attend to what you must, and I shall see you in the morning for our meeting. Give my best to your family, my lord."

"Of course, Your Highness, and thank you. Have a pleasant evening," he said with a deep bow, and turned to make his way down the hallway.

It was only once Elsa had stepped into the dining hall and was making her way over to her sister, that she realized Lord Eddelbreck had been carrying a long cloak across his arm.

* * *

Late that night, long after Elsa had gone to bed, she stared at her ceiling. She was still wide awake, her mind racing. She couldn't shake the uneasiness that the strange encounter with Lord Eddelbreck had awoken within her. Was she simply being paranoid, because of her fear that someone in her court had worked with Hans? She had no proof at all, only the words of a King on the other side of the sea.

What if she was suspecting a respected Councillor of being… up to _something_ , when all of it was entirely innocent?

What if it wasn't even Lord Eddelbreck she'd seen outside, conversing with the boy?

And in the end, what if Hans _had_ worked alone?

_Then I would have been worrying over nothing at all…_

A huff of frustration left her lips and she turned on her side, forcing her mind to relax as she squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe she should tell Anna about it… At least then she would have the reassurance of her sister also watching out for anything suspicious. And she was certain Lord Buckingham would have known what to do, but he was currently away for a few days. He'd told her he had to ensure that his estate was still standing, but in truth, she suspected he went to see the situation of the villages. She knew he cared deeply for the common people, and this is why she would need him at her side for this journey. She'd let him go with the promise that he be back in time for when they needed to leave together.

Suddenly, there came a soft, gentle knock on her balcony door, making her eyes fly wide open.

Her heart leapt into her throat.

Sitting up in bed, she could see a familiar silhouette etched against her sheer curtains.

Elsa shrugged off her summer blanket, before gracefully swinging her legs across the edge of the bed and quietly making her way over to the door. She was about to open it when she realized she was clad in only a thin slip, the weather having been much too humid for her usual nightdress.

She bit her lip as she hurried over to her dressing screen, where she'd hung her robe on one of the pegs. She slipped on the silky garment, pushing aside the niggling thought that it was entirely improper to see a man at this time of night, let alone wearing only a robe!

With her hands quickly combing through her loose, pearly tresses, she took a swift, deep breath and opened the door for him.

He was standing with his back to her, looking up towards the night sky, and Elsa froze in her steps.

His snowy hair was cast as silver as the stars themselves, the frost-dust on his cape coming alive in a shimmering sheen as it caught the light of the moon. The heavenly glow fell like a halo over his form, and all she could do was stare, too afraid to even breathe for fear of shattering the moment.

Then he turned to look at her, and at the back of her mind she noticed the fleeting surprise on his face, as though he didn't expect to see her there.

But the only thing she could think of was the heat flaring from her chest, and how her heart was beating in a way she could not recall it ever having done before.

"Elsa? Hellooo?"

She realized he was watching her, his head tilted slightly to the side, a smirk tugging at his lips. And he'd come closer.

Much closer.

"You still awake Princess?"

She let out a sound that was somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh. "Barely," she replied. "I didn't expect to see you tonight."

"I'm sorry for coming so late… I hope I didn't wake you? I figured you might be sleeping already but I…"

He quirked a half-grin, rubbing the back of his neck before leaning his shoulder against the wall. His eyes flickered up to meet hers. "I guess I just really wanted to see you."

Another wave of inexplicable warmth spiralled through her chest, leaving her quiet for a long moment before she finally found her voice again. "It's okay. I was still awake." 

A moment of silence stretched between them, and somehow it felt awkward. She supposed it didn't help how he'd averted his gaze as soon as he'd seen her attire. Swallowing hard, Elsa reached up to self-consciously place a lock of hair behind her ear, when suddenly, his icy hand closed around her palm. Her eyes snapped up to his, and she was about to ask what he was doing-

But he was staring at her wrist, or rather, the silk ribbon tied around it.

She'd entirely forgotten that it was no longer concealed beneath the safety of her glove.

"Is that…?" he murmured, his fingers tracing across her skin as he slowly slipped his hand lower to let his thumb brush almost tenderly across the ice-blue ribbon.

Elsa's lips parted slightly, gaze dancing between his iridescent eyes and his gentle hold on her arm.

"It's the one I gave to you…"

The half-question, half-statement was spoken with such astonishment that it sent a pang of guilt twisting through her heart. He turned his sapphire hues to hers, searching her face as though he hoped he might find some answer there.

Perhaps he did, for his lips slowly curved into a smile, his hand absently guiding her arm so that the backs of her fingers came to settle against his chest. "You kept it… I didn't think you'd still have it… after all this time."

Elsa became aware of how her heartbeat was gradually becoming faster and faster, her mouth going dry as she watched her pale fingers resting against the winter-blue of his cape. Forcing herself to meet his gaze, she nodded, hoping a smile somehow reached her lips. "It was a gift from the best friend I've ever had… Of course I kept it."

She didn't quite know why she went on talking, but it was as though the words could no longer be contained. "I never really stopped believing in you, Jack. For so many years, I prayed you would come back… I'm sorry, for betraying you like I did. For telling you I couldn't believe in you anymore. I know you said you don't blame me, but I can't stop blaming _myself_. You've been alone-"

"Hey," he said softly, his free hand reaching up to cup her cheek. "It's okay. We all make mistakes - that doesn't make you a bad person. _Don't_ blame yourself, Elsa. We're both here now, just like you said. Just like Anna is still here for you too. Everything worked out alright in the end, didn't it?"

This time it was her turn to search his eyes, as she tried to embrace his words. He was right… Everything did work out alright. Anna was alive, and they were slowly making progress… And Jack was right here, with her…

But what if…

_I never want to hurt you again. Not you, or anyone else…_

_Don't feel, Elsa. It can only lead to more heartache…_

She started to draw her hand back from his, uncertainty and fear clouding her eyes, when suddenly, he sighed and shook his head slightly as though he were frustrated with something. Whether that something was her, she didn't know, until–

He moved his hand that had still been holding her wrist, so that he could weave his fingers over the backs of hers. Then he pressed their joined hands to his chest, and she could feel the beat of his heart against the flat of her palm. "As long as my heart keeps beating, I'll be here for you. Now, and _always_. No matter what happens… You have nothing to be afraid of, because you're not alone anymore."

His cold breath fell against her forehead, as he lowered his head to place the softest of kisses atop her hair. Everything seemed to slow down as she felt the storm inside of her shudder and surge, and all around them the snow started to fall in a gentle flurry.

' _You're not alone anymore… '_

Against all of her better judgements, through all the fears and doubts telling her to enclose her heart in its cold ice once again, Elsa leaned into him. Both her palms rested against his chest, fingers curling into his cape as he enfolded her in his arms, and for the first time in forever, her fear was completely banished like mist before the sun.

* * *

From high within the branches of a poplar tree, two blue eyes watched the solitary woman below in the garden. She was huddled upon a stone bench, back comfortably leaning against the armrest. Her knees were drawn up, long, dark-green dress flowing across her legs. An open book was held in her hands, balanced against her knees, and every once in a while she would flip the page to reveal another one that looked much the same as the previous.

What a peculiar thing she was. How long could one possibly stay entertained by looking at pieces of paper with black scribbles upon them?

Well, perhaps he was being a _tiny_ bit unfair.

After all, whenever she'd read to him those long years ago, he had been content to listen to the story unravelling from her tongue, her sweet voice painting the picture that the scribbles failed to do for him.

A smirk tugged at his lips.

As silently as a snowflake, Jack soared down towards her, hovering just beyond her vision. Then, with the flick of a wrist, he formed a tiny ice pebble in his hand, and discarded it into the rosebushes nearby.

When she glanced up, distracted by the sound, he grabbed the book from her hands.

Her head snapped up.

"Jack!" Elsa exclaimed, watching him with wide eyes where he was holding her book, hovering upside down and trying to make sense of what she'd been reading.

"I feel offended, Princess," he said in a mock serious voice, flipping through the pages and turning it every which way. "This book couldn't possibly be more fun than spending time with me."

She made to grab it, but he simply soared out of her reach. "Well, if I'd known you were here, then maybe I wouldn't have been reading it. Now, give it back!"

"Nah, I think I'm going to hold onto it for a while." He continued to study the pages, but of course he understood nothing of what was written there. He absently traced the golden lettering on the cover with his fingertip.

" _Jack_."

She straightened, standing upon the bench, and made to snatch the book again, but he was too quick.

He smirked down at her, but when he saw the slightest hint of a blush spread across her cheekbones, he quirked a brow and turned his eyes back to the book. "Hmm, what does it say?"

"Nothing important, now give it back, _please_!"

"Then why are you blushing?" he quipped, flicking a spray of snowflakes in her direction that covered her nose and cheekbones.

She looked so adorable in her bewilderment, the snow-dust sticking to her long lashes, that he instantly burst out laughing.

"You are infuriating," she mumbled, brushing the snow from her pale skin.

"If you want me to stop, then simply tell me what it says."

She considered him for a moment.

Then she gained a smirk of her own.

He blinked, not entirely certain if he trusted that particular expression upon her face.

"I tell you what. We can come to a compromise," she suggested, folding her arms across her chest as she viewed him with a smile. "If I teach you how to read, then you can read it yourself, and not have to ask me to tell you what it says."

His smirk slowly grew into a thoughtful expression, before he settled onto the backrest of the bench. "You'd teach me how to read?"

She tilted her head at him, reminding him of a little bird. "If you want me to, of course I will."

He searched her eyes, finding no jest within them, only those crystalline orbs smiling down at him.

The idea of being able to read himself had never really occurred to him before, since the only interaction he'd had with books had been through Elsa when she was still little. But now that he thought about it, he found himself liking the idea.

His lips quirked into a smile, as his wintry eyes remained upon her face.

If nothing else, it might give him more time in her company. And he couldn't complain about that at all.

"When do we start?"

Elsa's face lit up into a rare, wide smile, her large, bright eyes seeming to sparkle as she looked back at him. Then she took a step closer to his side, snatched the book from his hands and suddenly hopped off the bench. As she gathered her long dress and started to run, she called across her shoulder, "Race you to the library!"

For a few bewildering moments, he was left fixed upon the bench, surprise spreading across his features.

Then, he laughed, leapt into the air, and sped off in a flurry of snowflakes.

He headed straight for the windows of the library, only to find none of them to be open.

And none of them could be opened from the outside.

By the time he'd circled back, found an open window and sped down the hallway, leaving a cool breeze as he went past, Elsa was already there.

She sat upon the sofa, the very image of poise, watching him enter.

"Looks like I won," she remarked lightly, one eyebrow quirked in amusement.

He grinned, shrugging. "You had a head start."

He flitted over, enjoying the blush upon her cheeks, the only evidence from their swift race.

"Or perhaps you're not quite as fast as you'd like to believe," she countered.

"What can I say, you keep me on my toes."

Elsa let out a breathy chuckle, before she gracefully stood up from the sofa and stepped up the desk where she gathered some paper, a quill and ink.

"Shall we?" She sat down again, smoothing down her skirts and he amusedly took a seat beside her, leaving his staff to rest against the sofa's armrest.

"We'll start by teaching you the alphabet," she said, catching his eyes before turning her gaze back to the paper, where she was already starting to carefully form some of those scribbles with the tip of the quill. "The alphabet is the letters we use to represent the sounds of speech, and you need to know how each one looks and the sound they represent in order to learn how to read and write…"

He watched as she formed each scribble – no, _letter_ – the most delicate frown dipping between her brows as she continued her task with concentration. The quill seemed to be a flawless extension of her hand, as she let the ink flow onto the paper in graceful twirls and lines. She looked so… _content_ , with the slightest blush still colouring her snowy skin…

"Jack? Are you listening?"

Only then did he realize she was looking up at him, amusement blooming in those ice-like eyes of hers. He huffed, before settling into a cross-legged position and scooting closer to her. "Of course, Princess. Do continue."

She fought to suppress her smile, but he saw it nonetheless, and he couldn't help but feel gladdened by it.

And so his first lesson began. Once Elsa had finished writing the alphabet, she slowly went over each letter and told him the sound they made, after which she let him repeat it. After only a few moments he was already invested. In truth, he found the whole thing fascinating – it was so strange that simple marks on a paper could carry such meaning. Who had thought to create them? Who had thought up the sounds to match the letters?

It was interesting and fun, and mostly he enjoyed it because he was with _her_.

After a while, she smiled at him and let the paper rest on her lap, before leaning back into the sofa. Her braid fell across her shoulder, some of the loose strands forming a soft frame around her face as she turned her head slightly to face him. She even closed her eyes, before she said, "Maybe we should stop here for now."

"Why, getting tired?" he quipped lightly, though he couldn't help but notice the slightly dark circles beneath her eyes that had only been getting darker these last few days. He knew she had a lot on her mind, and a lot of things to deal with. She'd spoken to him about some of it, though whether she had told him everything he didn't know.

All he could do was be there for her.

But it didn't help that he was feeling guilty about imposing on the time she had to sleep.

"Well, yes, but not because of this," she chuckled softly, eyes still closed. "It's just that I haven't gotten as much sleep as I probably should, seeing as I have a visitor every night. And besides, I don't want you to get bored with the lesson."

Her lips quirked into a tiny smile, and he found himself grinning slightly. "I could never be bored around you, Elsa."

Those long-lashed eyes fluttered open to look up into his own, and he felt the breath still inside his chest.

"Says the Maker of All Things Mischievous and Fun," she murmured. "Why, Jack, I believe that was the biggest compliment you could possibly give."

She looked so adorable and sleepy, all he could do was chuckle and reach up to place a lock of silky hair behind her ear. "Exactly."

After a moment, he withdrew his hand and a serious expression edged upon his features. "But I'm not going to be staying so long at night anymore. You need more sleep – and you have a long tour ahead of you, so you need all the rest you can get."

Her eyes widened. "No, I'm fine. I look forward to our talks. And it's more complicated to have you around in the day… never mind the fact that there isn't always time…"

She bit her lower lip, as though she were afraid her words might upset him or something. The corner of his mouth tipped into a smile as he rested his temple on the backrest of the couch. She was so close, he could see every wintry hue inside her eyes. "Yes… But you still need your rest. You have a lot of things to deal with every day."

"Do _you_ sleep?"

"I can if I want to, though I don't need to. And don't change the subject," he said, chuckling softly.

"I'm not… it's just…" she sighed, her eyes drifting shut again.

Something suddenly occurred to him. "You still get nightmares. Like you had when you were little."

Her eyes remained closed as she murmured, "Sometimes. They're not that bad though. Just regular nightmares. And you're probably right that I need more sleep. But when I'm with you, I can forget about everything for a while, and just be myself…"

Jack watched how her long lashes seemed to form tiny, feathered fans upon her pale cheeks, and he tried to ignore the warmth flooding through him.

"Are you still worried about Lord Eddelbreck?" he asked quietly, hoping to distract himself from how utterly captivating she looked right now. Did anyone else ever get to see this side of her? This gentle, unguarded side?

She sighed. "I don't know. I've spoken to Anna about it, and we decided to let it be for the moment, at least until we've had a chance to speak to the King of the Southern Isles when he comes to the Midsummer Ball. Then we'll see what he has to say about Hans."

"You know…" Jack began, an idea suddenly occurring to him. "I can always keep an eye on Lord Eddelbreck for you. And anyone else you want me to."

Her eyes slowly opened, a small frown slipping between her brows again as she studied him.

"You mean… spy on them? I don't know Jack, that doesn't seem right to me."

He let out a breathy chuckle. "Why have an invisible friend if you're not going to use it to your advantage? And it won't be spying… I'll just keep my eyes open, and maybe see what they're up to every now and then."

She reached out her hand, and laid it on top of his, murmuring sleepily, "You're not invisible to me…"

Jack stilled, his breath catching in his throat.

An indescribable blizzard of emotions flared up inside of him, making his heart pound painfully against his ribs.

And all he could manage was to stare at this woman beside him, who smiled and closed her eyes again, content to fall asleep with the warmth of her hand still seeping into his.

* * *

Olaf was having a great day.

He'd spent the day with Anna in the city, picking out fabrics and wallpapers and other things for the renovations. She'd even bought him a piece of cake from the local baker, and he was pretty sure that cake was one of the best things in the entire world. (Anna had wholeheartedly agreed with him).

Now, he was happily shuffling along the hallway, chuckling to himself every now and then as he looked up to watch his winter-flurry following along above him. The little cloud was keeping him nice and cold, just like any snowman should be, and thus making sure he could still enjoy summer despite its warm and sunny days.

What snowman wouldn't be happy to be able to do that?

His little, snowy feet was hurrying him towards the library. He wanted to choose a book for his story time with Elsa later that evening. He'd been thinking a lot about it, and he was going to suggest to Elsa that Anna join them too. Elsa was such a great storyteller, and he knew Anna would love to hear a good story too! Oh, he already knew the perfect one she'll like!

He came to the library, reached up high and opened the door with his twig-fingers.

When he stepped inside, he stopped so abruptly that his flurry momentarily continued on without him, before the little cloud realized its owner was no longer beneath it and zoomed back.

Olaf blinked, then blinked again, then his jaw dropped open.

And he stared.

On the sofa, in the centre of the library, was Elsa and the stranger he'd told her about!

And they were both fast asleep!

Olaf bounded over as quickly as he could and stopped by Elsa's legs. "Elsa?" When she didn't wake up, he clambered onto the sofa beside her and whispered into her ear, "Hey Elsa, that stranger I told you about, he's sleeping next to you on the sofa. Is now the time to start worrying?"

The Queen stirred, sleepily rubbing a hand across her eyes. "Hm, Olaf? What-"

When she fully opened her eyes, all she saw was Olaf's snowy face peering into her own.

"Look!" He pointed enthusiastically to the other side of the sofa, where Jack was still sleeping.

Elsa, blinking rapidly, finally woke up a little and soft laughter started to spill from her. "I can't believe we fell asleep…" Then, she gently placed a hand on Jack shoulder, feeling a strange sense of tenderness at seeing him so peaceful. She really didn't want to disturb him, but she supposed it couldn't be helped. "Jack? Wake up…"

Olaf was watching with big eyes as the strange man began to stir, stretch himself out, and turn to face Elsa. When Jack saw her smiling mysteriously down at him, he blinked, before he turned his gaze-

And the talking snowman and winter-spirit finally met face-to-face.

The snowman grinned. "Hi! I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!"

A slow, wide grin spread across Jack's features. "Hey Olaf… Wow, you really _can_ see me huh?" He shook his head, glancing at Elsa before ruffling a hand through his hair, still feeling a little sleepy.

Olaf looked up at Elsa before leaning closer to her and whispering concernedly, "Should I distract him while you run?"

"Olaf!" Elsa chuckled and gathered the snowman into her arms before placing him beside Jack, so that the little guy was standing between them on the sofa. "This is Jack Frost, the Spirit of Winter, and… he's old friend of mine."

For a moment, Elsa and Jack's eyes locked over the head of the little snowman, until Olaf cried out, "Oh! So can you make it snow too, like Elsa can?" Before Jack could answer, Olaf let out a gleeful exclamation. "And what about snowmen, can you make those?"

"I can," Jack laughed. "Though mine won't be anywhere near as… lively as you turned out be."

"I have a big brother too. I call him Marshmallow. He's cold on the outside, but I know he's warm on the inside. Do _you_ like warm hugs?"

Jack chuckled, awed in the creature that was standing before him. Sure, he had seen his fair share of strange creatures, but Olaf was the first one to be so utterly adorable. Oh, but it wasn't difficult to guess where he got _that_ quality from.

"Actually, yes. I do."

As if on cue, Olaf opened his stick arms wide, and Jack wrapped his arms around the snowman, drawing him in for a hug while catching Elsa's gaze across Olaf's shoulder.

For the life of him, he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her smile like that.

* * *

The last stars of the night was twinkling overhead in the turquoise-blue sky, while in the courtyard of Castle Arendelle, several people had gathered in the flickering light of the braziers. There was a buzz of excitement in the air as the Queen, the Princess, Lord Buckingham and a score of guards and supply carts made ready to leave for their tour to the nearest villages.

Elsa stood beside her snow-white mare, anxiously wringing her gloved fingers. Her eyes strayed to where the gates were being opened, the world outside seeming impossibly dark and gloomy.

_I'm being ridiculous. It's going to be fine._

There was a part of her that was excited; she'd never even seen these villages, nor the roads that would take them there. All she'd seen had been paintings, or her father's maps. And now, she was going to see them _herself_.

But an even bigger part was dreading every step that would take her there. She'd have to face her citizens in their domain, not within the safety of her castle. What would she do if they hated her? How would she be able to show them that she'd never meant to cause them harm? How could she even expect them to trust a queen who had frozen their lands?

Ever since Veda's visit and the reports had come in from the other villages, more stores of food had been sent as needed, but it had done little to make her feel less guilty. And it could never truly make up for the damage her Storm had caused.

Her heart was starting to race, when something drew her gaze.

There, upon the gate's roof, was Jack. He was holding onto the flagpole, leaning slightly to the side as the wind whipped through his cape and the Arendelle flag.

He was looking straight at her, smiling. Then, when he noticed she'd seen him, he nodded at her, his smile growing into a wide grin.

Taking a deep breath, she gave one firm nod in return, feeling her resolve and determination return.

_I must do this. Not just for them, but for me too. I will not fail my people ever again._

Turning to face the others, Elsa made her way to where Anna was giving Kristoff a long hug. Elsa smiled softly as she approached, the sight tugging fondly at her heart. When the princess pulled away, the tall blonde man tenderly brushed his fingers along Anna's jaw and grinned at her.

"I'll be right here when you get back, feisty-pants."

"You better be."

When they noticed her approach, they stepped slightly apart, though their fingers remained entwined. Anna met Elsa's gaze with a big smile. "So, are you ready?" she asked, taking a deep breath in.

Elsa nodded, returning her sister's smile. "As ready as I'll ever be."

The redhead let out an excited squeal and before Elsa even knew what was happening, her sister and enveloped her in a tight hug. "Oh, I am so excited! I know this isn't exactly the best circumstances, but I think we can have a little fun too, right? You deserve to have some fun, Elsa!"

Elsa felt a fond smile grow upon her lips. She returned the hug, and couldn't help but think that her sister's words sounded exactly like the advice from another certain someone who was always adamant about having fun.

"Oooh! Family-sized warm hug!" came the excited exclamation from their little snowman, who was now being picked up by Kristoff. He brought over the snowman and they joined in on the sisters' hug, until all four of them were laughing. When they pulled apart, Anna stooped down to say goodbye to Olaf, and Elsa took the moment to step up to Kristoff. "You'll keep an eye on things here, won't you?" she asked softly, looking up at the man who had been so good her sister this far.

"I will, Your Majesty. I- I mean Elsa! You can trust me," he said with a sheepish smile and a firm nod.

Elsa smiled and patted his arm. "I already do."

Olaf quickly bounded over after he and Anna had said their farewells, and he and Elsa shared another long hug. She was about to pull away, when he whispered, "Jack told me he'll watch over you while you're away, so you don't need to worry Elsa."

A slow, soft smile spread across her lips. For a moment, her gaze flickered up to where her guardian was already watching over them all, until she looked back down at Olaf. "I know. Promise me you'll look after Aredelle while I'm away? And make sure Kristoff and Sven don't get into trouble."

"Hey, I heard that!" Kristoff exclaimed laughingly.

When she'd finished her goodbyes, Elsa started to make her way towards where her Council members stood gathered upon the main steps. The plump Lord Adlar was conversing merrily with Lord Buckingham, who wore his usual impassively-amused expression, nodding and agreeing at all the right moments – but Lord Eddelbreck stood slightly to the side, hands firmly clasped behind his back as he surveyed the goings-on in the courtyard.

When Elsa reached them, all three of them bowed gallantly. "Your Majesty! I hope you are excited for the journey?" Lord Adlar asked warmly, for once being able to look her levelly in the eye, as he was standing high enough upon the stairs.

"Indeed my lord. I am equal parts curious and excited." _And afraid_ , she added on the inside, though she spoke again before her doubts may be displayed upon her face, "I am looking forward to meeting more of my people."

As though he had seen through her impeccable mask, Lord Buckingham took a step closer and gently laid a hand upon her shoulder. "And I assure you, Your Grace, they are looking forward to meeting _you_."

Looking up into his striking, grey eyes, Elsa smiled, and nodded. "My father had always spoken highly of his trusted Councillors. I know I have the support I need to see Arendelle through this difficult time," she said firmly, then she turned her gaze to the other lords. "And I trust that I can place the kingdom in your hands while I am away. Please, do not prove me wrong."

Her heart was still disquiet about that the scene she'd witnessed in the garden, but for now she would place her trust in her Council, as her father had done before her.

"Your Grace can be assured that the kingdom will be well-looked after in your absence," Lord Adlar said jovially, "And the last Midsummer Ball preparations will be completed before your return. It will be the grandest affair Arendelle has ever seen! I don't think I could have arranged it any better, if I do say so myself! It would truly be the perfect time to leave this Ice Storm business behind us, and let Arendelle go into the future with all the glamour and festivities it deserves."

Elsa smiled, set at ease by the man's cheerful words. "It does indeed give us something to look forward to."

"Your Majesty, I believe we should finish our goodbyes and be on our way soon. We have a long day ahead of us," Lord Buckingham said with another gentle squeeze of her shoulder, before he greeted his two fellow Councillors with a nod of his head, and set off towards his horse. Elsa also bid them farewell, and made her way towards her steed – when a gentle grasp upon her arm made her turn back. Lord Eddelbreck, who had been so quiet during the entire conversation, was looking at her with his usually-kind eyes clouded with concern.

"My lord-"

"Queen Elsa," he whispered fiercely, "Please, be careful on this journey… and come back safely."

He quickly let go of her arm and was gone before she could even get her lips moving, leaving her staring after him as dread once again twisted through her chest.


	9. Freezing Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood or Frozen. They are owned by Dreamworks, William Joyce, and Disney. This fanfiction was written out of love for the orginal works, and is purely for entertainment purposes. I'm not making money by writing this fanfiction, nor am I profiting from it in any way. Anything you don't recognize from the movies/books was my own ideas though, so I kindly ask that you please do not copy those.
> 
> Author's Note: As of May 2016, all previous chapters have been edited to fix grammar and spelling mistakes as well as minor inconsistencies.

* * *

  **Freezing Rain**

 _Fire and Ice_  
_Some say the world will end in fire,_  
_Some say in ice._  
_From what I've tasted of desire_  
_I hold with those who favor fire._  
_But if it had to perish twice,_  
_I think I know enough of hate_  
_To say that for destruction ice_  
_Is also great_  
_And would suffice._

― Robert Frost

* * *

"Oh, Elsa, isn't it beautiful?"

The Princess's voice beheld a note of awe, her wide green hues taking in the valley sprawled out below them. Elsa's features mirrored the wonder found on her sister's, as her own eyes swept across the majestic landscape.

Nestled between towering snow-tipped mountains, lay _Hjertendalen,_ a valley of old forests and gentle, sloping hills adorned by streams that shimmered like gold in the afternoon sun. Farm houses dotted the lush land, with small flocks of livestock grazing in the fields near orchards and patches of tilled earth. And at the heart of it all was the village itself, smoke trailing lazily from its various chimneys.

Anna and Elsa briefly glanced at one another, the queen's gloved hand linking with her sister's as they shared a smile, before they once again gazed out over the vista. A gentle breeze whipped through their hair, bringing with it the grassy scent of the fields as it made their capes billow slightly. "It's breath-taking," Elsa murmured, brushing her windblown hair from her face.

But the beauty before her could not hope to entirely diminish the sharp bundle of nerves coiled in her chest.

This was _Veda's_ village.

It had been hit hard by the Ice Storm, and its serene and lovely appearance at the moment belied the full story. The people here had lost their entire harvest and most of their livestock, and they were dependent on the supplies the kingdom was providing.

Elsa didn't know what she would find in that village – whether people would despise her on sight, or whether Veda's gaze would still be as hard as steel. But she desperately wanted to redeem herself in the eyes of this woman, who served the villagers here so wisely – to show her that she knew the blame of her kingdom's suffering lay squarely upon her own shoulders.

The sisters remained there for another few minutes, staring out across the next stretch of their journey. Thus far they'd made good progress, having had no trouble along the road. They'd travelled along the coast, stopping at a few hamlets along the way, until they'd cut through the mountain pass to the overlook where they are resting now. All the while Anna had cheerfully enjoyed the sights, while Elsa had restlessly mulled over Lord Eddelbreck's strange farewell that morning.

Almost as though she was able to sense her sister's disquiet, Anna gave a gentle squeeze to Elsa's hand, stilling the coldness that had threatened to seep through her leather glove.

"You've been worried ever since we left the castle this morning."

It was phrased as a statement, and yet the queen could see the question in those green eyes.

Either way, it was true.

Elsa had never seen such fierce determination upon Lord Eddelbreck's features as she had that morning; a determination that implored her to take his words to heart. Did he mean she needed to be wary of the villagers? Should she fear her own people? Or was there some other meaning that she'd not yet come to understand? She'd asked herself whether it had been a veiled threat, spoken to incite her paranoia, and yet… why would that be when he'd been against her decision of touring the kingdom from the very beginning? She'd never known Lord Eddelbreck as one for playing mind games, and her father had trusted him wholeheartedly.

If only she'd been paying more attention to his reasons for not wanting her to go on this journey she may have grasped his motives, but she'd been too consumed with fixing her own mistakes to consider any other alternative.

_It seems I only keep making more mistakes as I go along…_

After a brief glance across her shoulder to where the rest of the procession was gathered with the horses and the many supply wagons, Elsa tightened her fingers into Anna's, and let her icy hues rest on her sister's. "We'll talk tonight. When we're alone."

Anna searched her gaze for a moment, before she pursed her lips and nodded firmly.

"Enjoying the view?" Lord Buckingham asked from behind them, as he approached the two young women who greeted him with smiles. Coming to stand at Elsa's side, he let his own cool, grey gaze drift over the landscape.

"It's magnificent! Your estate is in this area, isn't that right Lord Buckingham?" Anna asked, all traces of her previous earnest expression now replaced by her usual friendliness.

With a nod of his head, the raven-haired man raised his gloved hand to gesture to a forested area towards the right. "Indeed. One cannot see it from here, but my manor lies in those woods. We'll pass through the village and hopefully reach the estate before nightfall."

"Isn't that forest called Witchwood?" Anna tilted her head, tapping her chin in thought.

"Ah, well, it is the name the locals have given it, yes," Lord Buckingham answered with a wave of his hand.

"Hm," Anna hummed, nodding in thought, "One of the soldiers traveling with us, Jerald, he said he grew up around here. And that the Witchwood is rumoured to be home to all sorts of witches and strange creatures. He told me all sorts of stories about hauntings and children disappearing and-"

Elsa blinked, a little amused. "Anna, most of that sounds like old wives tales to keep the children from wandering off too far from home."

The redhead giggled softly. "Oh, I know. I just thought it was interesting. After all, there are the Trolls, and _you_ , and maybe there are more magical things in our world than we realize-"

"Perhaps such subjects are best left discussed when there are no other ears around. After all, I do not believe any further talk about magical beings or strange happenings would do us any favours with the people here," Lord Buckingham gently admonished, giving Anna a bemused smile.

The Princess quickly pursed her lips together, abashed. "Of course, my lord, I'm often told my tongue is quicker than my mind."

Elsa let out a soft laugh, much to the surprise of her sister who quickly glanced up at her. "That sounds like something Kristoff may have said. In more colourful terms."

Anna uttered a soft snort of laughter. "Don't even get me started on Kristoff and his colourful terms."

* * *

As the procession gradually made their way down into the valley, Elsa's fingers curled tighter and tighter into her horse's reins. By the time she smelled the wood smoke of cooking fires, her soft, leather gloves were straining over her knuckles. Even Anna had gone silent, though Elsa was keenly aware of her sister's worried glances in her direction.

And then, something caught her eye, stilling her breath in her throat.

Wafting down from the sky, a single snowflake spiralled through the air. The gentle breeze carried it towards her, depositing it upon the very tip of her nose as gently as though the wind had reached out its hand and purposely placed it there.

Icy hues flicked up to see Jack high above, flying through the brilliant sky.

His cape seemed like a swathe of the blue heavens, as he grinned down at her.

A soft smile bloomed over her lips, and she took a deep breath, fixing her eyes on the road ahead.

* * *

The village of Hjertendalen was little more than a single, dirt road hugged on both sides by a small cluster of quaint shops, traders, smiths and a few houses. All of the buildings were of simple design, built from wood and stone with thatched roofs and small shuttered windows - except for the chapel that was certainly the grandest building in town. It stood highest upon the hill, watching over the village; its walls thick, its windows of leaded glass and its roof of faded tiles. Judging from the old, lush trees flanking it on both sides, it seemed it was also the oldest building there – more than likely the town originated from a single place of worship for the farmers in the area, after which the village expanded as their needs grew. Even today, most locals still lived in the surrounding area rather than in the village itself, each with their own piece of land to farm and would only came to the village to sell their goods in the local market square or to attend church.

At the moment though, the wooden stalls in the square was empty, and no one was gathered around the well to exchange goods or news. Instead, the villagers who had spotted the procession from a distance had quickly slipped inside their homes, to now peer at them from doorways or windows.

A young boy had been playing in the street when he spotted Elsa's horse. His eyes went wide as saucers and he darted across the road, straight into the arms of his wide-eyed mother, who quickly drew him onto the porch of her home where and old, scruffy dog was growling at the strangers passing his front step.

The entire scene sent a pang of misery through Elsa's chest.

Soon, everything fell quiet. So quiet that the quiet itself seemed to swell and expand, pierced only by the soft clip-clop of the horses' hooves upon the dirt.

In the tense silence, Elsa was certain they could hear her heartbeat thundering against her ribs.

But the silence was not the only thing stifling the air.

There was _fear_.

It was evident in the wide-eyed gazes, in the tightening of their knuckles into fists or upon the shoulders of their children.

And they were all staring at _her_ , tentative and afraid, whispers of 'Queen Elsa' and 'Snow Queen' and even 'Ice Queen' filling the air. Lord Buckingham had told her to smile, to wave at the people they passed by, but she simply couldn't uncurl her fingers from her hold upon the reins. Her face was a stark mask of neutrality, gaze now fixed upon the spot between her horse's ears, as she entirely forgot to breathe.

She suspected the only reason these people were not running for the hills was because of Lord Buckingham's presence. They knew him – they loved and respected him – and those that were not staring at her gazed at him where he rode at her side on his magnificent black steed.

The procession came to halt in the small village square, fanning out around the well. Lord Buckingham ordered the men to position the supply wagons against an outer wall of the smith before slipping off of his horse.

She'd been mentally preparing for this moment ever since they'd left Arendelle, but now that they were here she could hardly breathe, let alone think, move, _act_.

But Lord Buckingham quickly saved her from her predicament, as he gallantly stepped to her horse, and gracefully helped her down from the saddle.

"My good people, come and gather! Stop hiding in your homes and come receive the supplies we have brought for you!" he called, almost jovially, as though he were trying to tell the villagers they were foolish for acting so skittish.

Elsa couldn't blame them.

Yet it was as though he'd spoken the magic words. Slowly, people began filing into the square, tentatively coming closer as they started to speak more loudly amongst each other. The mother with her child was among those who came, and Anna tilted her head slightly as the boy peeked out from behind his mother's dress. She smiled, and as he saw her looking, he quickly darted back behind his mother's skirt, only to peer out again after another moment. Anna's smile brightened as she sent him a small wave, and that was all it took to draw a smile from the boy. He stepped out from behind his mother, still clutching her dress, yet waved back at the princess.

Lord Buckingham had removed his cape and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt, and then he gently placed his fingertips upon the small of Elsa's back, quietly asking her to come along as he guided her up onto the porch of the smithy, from where they could view the gathered people. As his grey eyes swept the area, Elsa immediately fixed her gaze on Anna, who gave her a warm encouraging smile from where she stood by the wagons.

"People of Hjertendalen," Lord Buckingham began in his rich, even-toned voice. As he spoke, he viewed each villager in turn, fixing his silver-grey eyes upon them and spending a moment to mark each of them as important, "As I have promised, I have brought you your Snow Queen."

With a flourish of his hand, he gestured to Elsa, his lips tipping into a slight smile. For a single, terrifying moment, she was the heart of their attention, all eyes turning to her where she stood at their Lord's side, before he once again claimed their gazes when he continued to speak.

"Her Majesty has travelled all the way from Arendelle to come meet you herself, to show you how important you are to her. We have brought supplies, enough to last you through this year ahead…"

From the thatched rooftop of the trader, Jack Frost sat watching the scene in the square. He had a clear view, watching as the process of distributing the supplies was put in motion. The sisters followed Lord Buckingham's lead, and with the help of the servants who had come along for this purpose, they started to organise themselves and the villagers. Each family was to receive a certain share – one representative of each family was called on to collect – while other supplies would be delivered directly to the village granaries.

Elsa had her back to him, straight and stiff as an arrow, and he could feel her tension choking the air as though it were chain wrapping around his throat – but Anna was a constant companion at her sister's side, the only ray of sunlight that could thaw the queen's glacial tension.

It brought a smile to his face as he leaned his head against his staff clutched in his right hand.

He would have liked to send another snowflake to nip her nose, yet he knew that wasn't the best idea, lest someone mistake it for _her_ magic.

So he settled for watching, winter-blue eyes never wavering far from the Snow Queen.

Elsa's heart was hammering in her chest as she took a wrapped packet that a servant handed to her, and held it to the villager before her. He was an old man with weathered skin and hands that were crinkly and brown from working years in the sun. When she handed him the packet, she met his gaze, to find his blue hues was not without kindness.

A tiny spark of hope ignited within her chest, and it ignited a small smile. "Here you go, sir," she said gently, making sure that he had a firm grip on the packet before she withdrew her hands back to her sides.

He bowed his grey head, smiling, "Thank ye, yer Highness."

As he waddled away, Elsa let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Then as she turned to grab another packet, she noticed that Anna had stooped down to speak to the young boy, asking him his name.

"Eirik," he answered, glancing up to his mother as he bashfully tried to hide behind her skirt once more.

Anna smiled that sun-brilliant smile of hers. "It's nice to meet you Eirik. Hey, do you think you can do a favour for me? See, I have this packet here that I need to give to your family. Do you think you can take it? It has food and all sorts of nice things inside. What do you say little man?"

The boy pressed his fist to his mouth, glancing up to his mother as though for permission. The woman gave him an encouraging nod, after which he quickly dropped his hand and grinned, stepping to Anna with more self-confidence now. "I can do that."

The princess smiled brightly before handing him the rather large packet, making sure he had it firmly in hand before she let it go, and gently ruffled her fingers through his mop of brown hair. "There you go. You be a good boy now, Eirik, alright?"

He nodded, smiling a gap-toothed smile and glanced up at his mother. The woman's features held a fond expression as she said, "What do we say to the nice Princess?"

Eirik quickly looked back at Anna, wide-eyed now that he realized he'd almost forgotten to thank her. "Thank you, Princess!"

Anna laughed, and got to her feet. "You are most welcome."

Elsa found that her earlier smile had slowly widened, her heart warming to the scene before her.

"Ah, so ye _can_ smile, yer Highness. I'd been wondering 'bout that. Yer mother had such a lovely smile after all."

Elsa whipped around, startled by the familiar voice spoken so close behind her, to find a hooded woman at her side. From beneath the rim of the frayed hood, Veda's keen eyes peered up at her.

"Madame Veda," Elsa breathed, greeting the woman with a deep bow of her head. "I am glad to see you again."

"Still with the tiresome titles," the woman huffed. "Veda will do."

With a graceful sweep of her hand, Veda brushed away her hood to let it fall onto her shoulders, revealing her grey hair that was braided painstakingly-neat into a high bun. She hummed under her breath, clucked her tongue and gently took hold of Elsa's chin. "Hm, yes, yes, let me take a look at you girl."

Elsa could only blink in surprise, feeling a sudden pang of fear at the unexpected touch. Yet Veda's gaze held a sort of motherly firmness to it, and it pinned the young queen to the spot.

"So pale, are they feedin' ya at all? And dark circles beneath the eyes. Hmph. Yes, I see your fear, girl. You may think you keep your face a nice, little neutral mask, but you carry all your emotions right there in those big eyes."

Elsa's lips opened and closed as she grasped for any sort of reply, wondering whether this old woman was simply very perceptive or whether her emotions truly _were_ displayed so vividly for all to see. But before she could utter a single word, Veda dropped her wrinkled hand and grinned. "Good that you came. You needed this as much as the people here needed it."

She gestured to the villagers milling around them – villagers that were now eagerly approaching the wagons for their supplies, where earlier they had been so much more skittish.

"Still, ye have a long way to go, lassie. A lot ta' learn. For one, it's time to start makin' yer own speeches. That's what royalty's best at anyway."

"My… own speeches?" Elsa intoned, a little bewildered by the fast flow of the conversation. Veda was clearly not a woman to wait around for the grass to grow beneath her feet.

After a huff and a little stomp of her cane, Veda gestured to the porch where Lord Buckingham had addressed the people. "No need to have that lordy lord speak on yer behalf. People already know 'im. They need to get to know _you_."

Her brow tightened into a frown as she realized the truth of the older woman's words. She _does_ count on Lord Buckingham for many things, especially when it came to the people of her kingdom. A soft sigh fell from her lips then, and before she could stop herself, she spoke her thoughts aloud, "You're right, of course… But I have never been good with addressing others." Her gaze slowly trailed to where Anna was once again speaking cheerfully to another group of villagers. "I don't know how to connect with people like my sister or Lord Buckingham does. They are warm and charming, and it comes so easily to them… whereas I… am cold and… emotionless."

"Emotionless? Bah!"

Elsa started at the exclamation, widened eyes returning to Veda who waved her cane. "Yer problem is not a lack of emotions, girl, but rather that you allow yer fears to rule over ye. Why, ye may ask yerself? I'll tell ya. Ye don't trust in yerself. For the Moon's sake, ye need to start learnin' how to trust in yer own strength!" Now the cane was stomped onto the dirt once more, emphasising each word. "And stop tryin' so hard to hide yer feelings, crushin' them down like their nothin'. We don't want another Ice Storm on our hands when ye decide to finally deal with all of those cropped-up problems."

A soft humourless laugh escaped her at hearing this echo of the same truth she'd been told so many times before – from her mother, her father, her sister, her councillors, from Jack, and mostly _herself_.

Perhaps it was time she started to listen.

Veda turned slightly, her sharp gaze drifting up to the roof of the trader. A strange look passed through her eyes, before she glanced back to Elsa. "Good that he's here to help ye. I bet _he_ gets ya to smile more often."

"I'm sorry, who-" Frowning, Elsa turned to glance where Veda had been looking, yet her vision was suddenly obscured when Lord Buckingham appeared at her side. He was looking down at Veda with a cool gaze, yet the corners of his mouth was tipped into a smile.

"Veda, good woman. I trust you are happy with the supplies we have delivered?"

The old woman snorted and mumbled under her breath. "It'll do, _milord_. It'll do."

"Splendid! We have ensured that each family has been given a fair share, and the remaining supplies will be stored in the granary for use as needed. Now, I believe our queen could do with some rest. We shall depart to my estate." With that, he turned to Elsa. "We may leave as soon as you are ready, Your Highness."

She nodded, a little perplexed at the strange exchange. "Of course, thank you my lord."

As he left, Elsa turned back to the old woman. "Veda, I know you have no use for words, but please accept my personal, sincere apology for the wrong I have caused you and your people. If there is anything the village has further need of, please do not hesitate to ask. I shall personally see to it."

She bowed her head in sincerity, but Veda once again gently grabbed her chin, tipping it up to let their gazes meet. "Chin up, child. There's no need for more apologies. I forgave ye that day when I finally saw ye for myself. There may be fear in yer eyes, but there is goodness too. Let _that_ be yer guide."

With that, the Veda smiled and replaced her hood, before she disappeared into the crowd. Elsa stood gazing after her, until Anna came to her side.

"Everything alright? I would have come sooner, but I know you needed to speak with her on your own," she said.

Elsa frowned, facing her sister. "How did you know that?"

Anna chuckled, shaking her head. "Because you wouldn't have forgiven yourself otherwise. You felt you needed to make it up to _her_ , because she represents these people. So, _do_ you feel better?"

"I… yes. I think so. It was strange though."

Anna tilted her head. "Oh? Why is that?"

"For one thing, she mentioned mother," Elsa murmured, still musing over the many things Veda had spoken.

"She did? What did she say?"

A soft smile tugged at the corner of Elsa's lips. "…That her smile was lovely."

"Hmm… Well, her smile _was_ lovely. I'm certain Veda must have seen her before."

"I suppose you're right, it had simply felt like such a… personal thing to say. In any case, we should get ready to go."

"Next time, we're bringing a carriage," Anna complained in melodramatics. "My backside can't take much more of this saddle."

* * *

Lord Buckingham's manor held all the beauty and allure of a vintage, country home. The moment their party had made their way down the dappled tree avenue, Elsa instantly fell in love. Their first sight of the manor had been as they'd entered through the old, rusty gates that were completely overgrown with roses: the manor stood tall and stately, its arched windows peeking out from between wild tangles of sweet peas.

Lord Buckingham had made light of his wild, unkempt garden as a handful of servants and stable boys had come to meet them, but Elsa had hardly heard a word that he'd said, too enamoured by the loveliness surrounding her on all sides.

And that _scent_.

Even now, as she was getting ready for dinner in the charming bedroom that had been assigned to her, Elsa could still smell the sweet perfume of the sweet peas. Faint, yet always-lingering, the scent seemed as much part of the manor as the fading wallpaper and elegant furniture.

It reminded her so much of her mother.

Perhaps this was why she arranged her hair in the style her mother used to love, a thick braid that she pinned back into a bun. She was still struggling with the last few pins, when there came a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in," Elsa called, glancing up from where she was seated at the vanity.

As the door creaked open, Anna peeked inside, her features immediately lighting up when she laid eyes on Elsa. "I came to see if you were ready."

Quirking a tiny smile, Elsa returned her gaze to the mirror, pursing her lips a little as she resumed her task of pinning her thick locks. "Almost. My hair decided to be stubborn."

"Would you… like some help?"

The queen's hues met Anna's, as her hands drifting away from her hair. "I… Yes, actually."

Anna quickly stepped over, coming to stand behind her sister to survey her hair. "Oh, looks like this pin broke. Let me just… ah, got it." Gently and with nimble fingers, the princess removed the broken pin and snatched a new one from the vanity table. The last locks of silvery hair was quickly tamed and Anna's bright gaze met Elsa's in the mirror. "There! All done. Except for one last little detail…"

The redhead darted out onto the open balcony, and from the tangle of sweet peas that climbed across the trellis, she gently plucked a handful of violet, pink and white blooms. When Elsa realized what her sister was up to she let out a breathy laugh. "Oh, Anna that's really not necessary-"

"No protests! The servants told me it's a tradition for the people of Hjertendalen to wear sweet peas in their hair to dinner," Anna replied, her features becoming a mask of concentration as she began her task of arranging the flowers into her sister's hair, unknowing that Elsa was studying her reflection in the mirror.

"Is that so?" the queen relented quietly.

"Of course! I'm wearing them too. There, now you're all set."

Before Anna could move away, Elsa softly grabbed her hand across her shoulder, once again meeting the green gaze in the mirror.

"I miss her too. Every day. I miss her, and I miss father, and I miss seeing them together. I miss their smiles, and father's warm laugh…"

A flickering of surprise passed over the princess's face, before a bittersweet smile spread across her rosy lips, a smile that held the sadness of their parents' absence, but also the relief and gratefulness that finally, finally – after so long – she could look into her sister's eyes and share the grief.

She nodded, fingers tightly curling around Elsa's.

"And his jokes," Anna added, lips twitching in remembrance. "That mother would laugh at no matter how silly they were."

A soft laugh fell from Elsa's lips. "I remember. Somehow, I think father and Kristoff would have gotten along just fine."

Anna grinned, though it was a little sad. "You think so?"

"Definitely."

Elsa's own lips wavered into a sad smile, and she tilted her head ever so slightly to lean against Anna's arm. Then the princess gave her sister's hand another squeeze and forced a smile – a bright one this time – and allowed a chiming laugh to escape her lips. "So, before we go down for dinner, I thought we could talk about this morning. Something had clearly been on your mind."

"Oh, in all the excitement of the day I'd almost forgotten to talk to you about it…" Elsa turned in her seat, to better face her sister. "Well, before we let this the castle this morning, Lord Eddelbreck had acted very strangely. When he came to give his farewells, well… he… he told me to be very careful on this journey and come back safely."

Anna blinked, expression flickering between uncertainty and amusement. "Eh, that… sounds… reasonable?"

Elsa sighed. Speaking his words aloud, she had to admit that they did indeed sound reasonable, but it hadn't been about the words themselves. "It was the _way_ he'd said it, Anna. And, his _eyes_ … They'd been so intense. It looked like he really hadn't wanted to me to go on this trip. I know I sound paranoid, and that I am over-analysing everything… but that's why I wanted to tell you about it, so that you can tell me what I should make of it."

Anna hummed under her breath, chewing on her lower lip in thought. "Well, look at it like this," she said after a brief silence. "So far, this trip has been exciting and even a little fun, and everything is going well. The people saw you with their own eyes – you're a person to them now, you know? Not some terrifying queen of their imaginations. And I know that you felt Veda's village would be the hardest part of the trip – in other words, the hard part is over. From what I saw, she appreciated what you had come to do. And you should be proud of yourself Elsa. You've been through so much in a very short span of time, but here you are, talking to me about things and opening up and letting go a little. So. What I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't worry so much before we don't have more concrete answers – which I'm sure we will have soon enough. Now, can we please go down to dinner? I'm starving. Again."

In the light of such optimism, it was near-impossible to remain in distress.

 _Who am I kidding? It is_ entirely _impossible._

A grin swept across her lips and Elsa rose to her feet. "That makes two of us."

* * *

Dinner was a lovely affair. Lord Buckingham had clearly made an effort to ensure his two royal guests would see the best his estate has to offer, though the most wonderful part of the evening was the magnificent chocolate pudding he'd had prepared especially for them, knowing how much the sisters loved their chocolate. For hours they spoke of nothing related to the kingdom, having decided to simply enjoy each other's company.

Elsa gently set down her spoon as she finished her dessert. "Forgive me my lord, but if you were born in Arendelle, do you not have any family here? I've never heard you mention any family before."

"Unfortunately, no." A sombre twinge tugged at his features. "After my mother died, I had no family left, and was raised in the orphanage in the city... This pin is the only thing I have left of her."

He fondly brushed a fingertip over the bird-shaped pin he is rarely seen without, and the sisters shared a subtle look of sympathy for their trusted advisor. But his melancholy only lasted a moment, for a wide grin suddenly lit up his features. "Quite incidentally, the orphanage is where I met your mother."

"Truly?" Anna asked, resting her chin upon her knuckles as she leaned in a little closer, eager to hear more about her mother's young life. Elsa was just as surprised and intrigued, a soft smile gracing her lips.

"Please tell us how you met, my lord. It's not often we hear about Mother's youth."

Lord Buckingham smile gained a fond tinge, his usually cool, grey gaze gaining a softer light as he leaned back in his seat. It was rare to witness him like this – entirely relaxed and actually smiling, not simply a mere quirk of the lips. And he suddenly seemed like a different man altogether, younger almost, the genuine smile emphasising his handsome features.

"Even at the tender age of ten, young Iduna was strong-willed and kind, kinder than anyone I had ever known. She was a nobleman's daughter, but she came to the orphanage dressed plainly, and regularly brought each child a basket filled with food and toys and new clothing. The day I met her, I had been an orphan for scarcely a month, and I was in a terribly dark mood. I'm afraid I was rather horrid to her."

He chuckled then, shaking his head at the memory. "Well, she approached me where I'd been sulking in the corner, and when she handed me my basket, I slapped her hand away, making everything spill out over the floor. I yelled at her, stupid, angry words that I no longer recall - but she simply smiled, and picked it all up, placing it neatly back inside the basket and left it at my feet. Then, without a word she had left, and I remember I was staring after her in confusion, undeserving and entirely unable to fathom her actions."

The sisters were completely enraptured, eyes lit up as they imagined the scene play out before them. "And then?" Anna asked eagerly. "How did you become friends?"

"Oh, with great patience and kindness on your mother's part, that's how." Another warm chuckle escaped him. "She would continue to visit the orphanage and after months of her steadfast refusal to give up on me, I eventually came around."

"That sounds just like her," Anna murmured, sadness lingering at the corner of her smile.

"It does," Elsa intoned, softly. "She was always so patient, and determined. She never gave up on anything or… anyone."

Lord Buckingham's hues misted over with remembrance. "Indeed. When I started my travels, it was by your mother's determination that we kept in touch at all. She wrote to me, constantly, and I wrote back when I could – though it did not seem to deter her in the amount of letters she sent my way."

"Mother once said you've travelled all the way to India, my lord," Elsa inquired.

His wistfulness was quickly replaced by a chuckle and a wide grin. "Ah, yes. When I started out on my adventuring days, with barely a penny in my pocket, on a grand search for wealth and magic!"

" _Magic?_ " The two sisters asked simultaneously, Anna's eyes filled with intrigue as Elsa's brows raised in surprise and her cerulean hues viewed him with perplexity.

The corner of his mouth twitched into a mysterious smile. "Indeed. You said it yourself earlier today, Princess Anna. The world is so much more magical than we often tell ourselves. Although I wanted to make a name for myself, it was that thought which initially drove me on my travels. Alas, I may have found my wealth and many interesting artefacts, and yet I never quite found what I'd been looking for..."

With that, he suddenly fixed his gaze on Elsa, and for a moment, she swore his eyes lit up like silver fire. "Until, at last, I returned to where I had started, and there at the heart of everything I had ever held dear, was a girl with an awe-inspiring gift. I couldn't quite say I was surprised either. Your mother had been an extraordinary woman after all."

A moment of silence suddenly settled over the two young women – and though Elsa didn't quite know what to make of Lord Buckingham's words, she was more concerned about the hurt that she'd witnessed flashing across Anna's face. The princess quickly schooled her features to hide her feelings, yet it was evident in the dip of her mouth, the way her eyes settled on anywhere except on Elsa.

The words had certainly not been meant as such, but it served as another stark and sudden reminder that the princess had, for all her life, been _purposely_ left out of her sister's secret – when there were others who had known about it from the beginning.

Elsa's fingers fisted into her dress, and she swallowed harshly past the ache in her throat, her hues never wavering from her sister.

But before the moment stretched into awkwardness, Anna quickly spoke up, a forced cheerfulness flowing into her tone. "It sounds like you would have liked to possess some powers of your own, my lord."

The corner of Lord Buckingham's mouth tipped into a smile. "Ah, perhaps. If given the choice? Well, why not? Unfortunately, magic is not something taken – but something _given_. Our Queen is very blessed in this regard."

"Blessed?" A tight smile spread across Elsa's lips. "I can't say that I entirely agree, my lord. My magic has only ever brought heartache. To myself, my _family_ , my kingdom."

But even as she spoke, despite meaning every word, there was a tiny part of her that thought of a boy with silver hair, and eyes the shade of winter.

Her thoughts were cut short when Lord Buckingham gently laid his hand atop hers in a fatherly gesture, patting her glove gently. "Ah, do forgive me. Come, let us speak of more pleasant things."

For a while, they fell back into easy conversation, speaking of the Midsummer Ball and the many suitors that would no-doubt be present that evening to win Elsa's hand. Yet despite Elsa's anxiety that was quick to surface at the thought, Anna somehow managed to make her laugh out loud when the princess named all the questions she would have to ask her suitors-to-be, to eliminate the worthy from the unworthy. It ranged from favourite food to favourite pass times, to whether he liked animals to what his best friend's name is.

And, of course, foot size.

"Foot size? Why-"

"It matters, Elsa. I have it on good authority that it matters."

Only when their laughter finally died down did they all excuse themselves to retire to their bedrooms. Before Elsa could depart to her room, Lord Buckingham gently called her name.

He stood by the fire, hands clasped behind his back as he turned to face her. "I want you to rest assured that today went well. It may take time, perhaps more time than we had realized, but the people will come to trust you. You have shown yourself capable of good deeds, and I feel confident about the rest of the trip."

A genuine, relieved smile spread across her lips. "Thank you, my lord. I appreciate everything you have done for me, and my kingdom."

Slowly, his mouth curved into another smile as earlier. He stepped closer, amusement flickering through grey hues as he quirked a brow at her. "Now I only have one favour to ask, my queen."

"And that is?" she asked, uncertain what to make of his expression – he was so very rarely amused after all.

"That you shall call me upon my first name, when the situation allows it. No need to always be so formal, my dear."

Shaking her head, a breathy laugh escaped her. "Very well. Goodnight, _Lord_ Adolphus."

He chuckled, and waved her off. "Ah, progress at least. Goodnight, my Snow Queen."

Elsa smiled, and with that she left him behind to head to her bedroom. It had been a long day, and now that she came to stand at the bottom of the stairs, she thought that she should have been exhausted and worn out, longing to lay down her head. At the back of her mind, there _was_ a tangle of worries – especially about Anna, and the explanation that she yet owed her sister – but suddenly these worries were diminished and small as her heart felt like soaring all the way up those stairs.

Had Jack found the ribbon she'd tied to her balcony door?

Would he be there, waiting for her?

The queen forced herself to take one stair at a time, her fingers curling into fists at her side as her heart fluttered faster and faster – but the moment she set foot in the upper hallway she could no longer contain her desire to see him. All day, it had lain dormant inside her chest, but now it rose up like a gale until it rushed through her like a force of nature, spurring her feet on to dash towards her room.

Inwardly, she laughed in disbelief at her own silliness.

With a deep breath and a hope to quiet the storm, Elsa stepped into her chambers, refusing to look towards her balcony until she'd closed the door behind her.

Then, as her eyes glanced up, her breath stilled inside her throat.

On every window pane of her balcony door, was a perfect replica of a snowflake, drawn in frost against the glass and lit up by the soft starlight filtering down from the night sky. "Oh…" she breathed, fingertips gently covering her mouth as she floated closer in awe.

In enchanted wonder, Elsa tentatively raised her fingertips towards the glass, her gaze lingering on every window pane to study the shimmering snowflakes. Each one was unique, entirely different from the next – some delicate as lace, others reminded her of shards of crystal or the leaves of ferns – but each was a masterpiece of their own, crafted with such evident care that her own fingertips suddenly tingled with the desire to create such _beauty_ with her own magic.

But it was enough to simply watch, to appreciate this gift from her winter spirit, whose magic was beautiful and inspiring and could make her feel like, perhaps, someday, she might accept her own magic as the gift Lord Buckingham had spoken of.

 _Someday_.

And suddenly, she noticed him.

He was peering at her through the glass, his head tilted to the side, silver fringe falling low across his brow - and the sort of smile on his lips that spoke of secrets.

Their eyes met, an eternity wrapped in a fleeting moment.

A shuddering breath escaped her before she opened the glass door, slipping out to stand at his side as it clicked shut behind her.

They didn't speak, but the silence felt _filled_ somehow; filled with her heartbeat in her ears, filled with the unspoken things held in the space between them.

Elsa turned her gaze to the snowflakes once more, a tiny smile of wonder curving across her lips.

"They're magnificent and beautiful and lovely and all the best words I could possibly think of," she murmured, stepping closer to the glass to once again raise her fingertips, her skin hovering a hair's breadth away from the frost, yet she would not touch them for fear of ruining them.

Jack moved closer and her gaze turned to him, but before she could take a step back he gently caught her raised hand. Her breath hitched – embarrassingly loudly, quite to her dismay – but his only reaction was the slightest smirk of his lips. Without a word, he returned her ribbon to her, tying the ice-blue silk over her glove - and all at once she didn't know if she was thankful that he had not removed the glove that kept his fingertips from brushing against her skin, or whether she was _disappointed_.

"Exactly as I would describe you," he said, his deep, husky voice sending inexplicable thoughts and desires through her mind, so much so that it took a moment for her to realize what he meant.

_Magnificent and beautiful and lovely and all the best possible words…_

_Oh…_

Yet instead of taking his words to heart – because how could she possibly allow herself to do that? – she forced a laugh, gently withdrawing her hand from his. Flustered, Elsa's lips wavered between a smile and a nervous line. "You shouldn't say things like that, Jack," she quipped, "I might start taking you seriously."

He quirked a dark brow, leaning his shoulder against the outer doorframe. "And why shouldn't you?"

She laughed again, breathlessly, intent on letting the subject go, until her gaze returned to his and she realized he was still waiting for an answer. "Well… Because… I… I don't know." Licking her bottom lip before gently clasping it between her teeth, she searched for the answer that she hadn't been prepared to give. "You… speak so easily sometimes, that I'm not always quite sure when you're simply being your mischievous self or when you're being serious."

The moment stretched on in silence, entirely too long for Elsa's liking, for he simply _looked_ at her, star-reflecting hues dark and unwavering.

And it was in moments like these, when he wasn't the playful boy with the quick smile, that she realized how very little she truly knew him. It was so easy to forget, sometimes, in light of his carefree and almost-whimsical nature, that he was the _Spirit of Winter_.

That he was _Winter_ itself.

And, Winter, as she deeply knew, was never constantly whimsical nor playful, but dark and _fierce_ -

Then, suddenly, a flash of pearly, white teeth as he smirked, dipping his head so that his fringe obscured his eyes before he raised his gaze to hers once more-

With no trace of the fleeting darkness in those brilliant, blue eyes.

"So, I take it you like them?" He nodded in the direction of the snowflakes.

"Of course!" Elsa smiled. "They're gorgeous, Jack. And each one so different and detailed and… Oh, you left one window pane open?"

She had only noticed it now, but from his knowing expression she instantly realized that he'd done it on purpose.

Jack shrugged, his smirk softening into a genuine smile. "Figured you might want to make one of your own."

Almost instantly an unreasonable panic rippled through her. Eyes widening, she stared at him, _knowing_ that she was being absurd to be so apprehensive of making a simple snowflake against the glass – after all, she had laced the crocus he'd given to her in a light blanket of frost…

But this was different, and her fear did not dissipate.

The last time she had used her magic simply for the pure _joy_ of it, she'd been all alone atop a mountain, but even now she was still carrying the consequences of the decision that had led her there.

"N-no, I can't-"

"Elsa, _breathe_ – " A chuckle, amused yet tinged with concern. "You'll make it snow before you even get close to drawing the snowflake."

It was the subtle worry in his tone that drew her sharply back from her panic.

"I'm sor-"

"You know," he interrupted, looking at her resignedly, with the ever-present amusement still glinting in his cerulean hues. "If I didn't have the patience of a glacier I might be getting really frustrated with the endless apologies you insist on making."

Unexpected even to herself, his reaction made her laugh, a soft sound that joined with a groan of defeat as she rested her palms over her face before peering at him between her fingers. "Believe me, I'm frustrated with myself."

Another chuckle – he made it seem so easy – and the sound shook loose her fear until her own genuine smile returned to her lips. As she lowered her hands, Jack gestured to the window once more. "Come on, Princess, just one teeny, tiny, _harmless_ little snowflake for your best and oldest friend."

_Best and oldest friend…_

The words may have been playful, but their significance and truth was so profound that she couldn't possibly refuse him.

"Alright," she sighed, tugging off the glove from her left hand as she turned to face the door in the same fashion one might face their own execution.

The sight almost made the spirit laugh again, but he managed to remain quiet as Elsa took a long moment to study his work. Her gaze picked out all the details in each and every snowflake he'd made, while she wondered what hers should look like. His were breathtakingly pretty and done with such evident care; a reminder that he was an artist in his own right – one could see it not only now, but in every winter landscape, in the crystalline icicles hanging from gutters, in the sheer, white blanket covering every field and the lacy frost rimming the leaves upon trees and _snowflakes_ , glistening like stars in the last light of the sun…

Finally, eyes drifting shut, Elsa tentatively pressed the tip of her index finger against the cool glass.

And she found that it was _easy_ , like breathing –

A, deep, long exhale flowed from her lips as the frost unfurled from beneath her fingertip, blooming like a spring flower in the sunlight – and indeed at its centre was the replica of frozen petals, shooting outwards into gossamer points resembling a star. Elsa kept her eyes closed, unknowing that Jack was watching her intently, enraptured with the smile that had spread across her lips while she momentarily lost herself in her magic.

When it was over, long-lashed hues fluttered open and the queen slowly withdrew her hand, to see what she had made. Upon the glass, amongst Jack's own snowflakes, was hers, like it had been there all along.

"There," Jack murmured, and their eyes met. "Was that so hard?"

Elsa quirked a bright smile, gaze flickering between his and her snowflake, the magic yet tingling in her fingertips. "Still not as beautiful as yours, though."

"I beg to differ. No two snowflakes are the same, but not one is more beautiful than the other. Although… "Jack tilted his head, gazing down at her snowflake as he thoughtfully tapped his fingers against his staff. "Yours is certainly the _most_ _perfectly extraordinary_ one I've seen in my _entire_ life."

Elsa laughed in disbelief. "Stop _teasing_ , Jack Frost."

"I am not! Have you _seen_ it? Come on, Princess, it's not often the Spirit of Winter gives compliments like this one. Someone else excelling at my craft? I should be green with envy!"

Elsa was still shaking her head, shoulders trembling with soft chuckles. "Maybe you should. The more I look at it, the more I agree that you couldn't possibly outshine my talents."

"Oh, and she aims straight for the heart! I am wounded, Princess, whatever will I do with the broken pieces of my heart?"

"So melodramatic! You should accept defeat gracefully, Lord of Winter."

"Lord of Winter?" Jack mused, a smirk quick to follow, showing off those pearly-whites. "I like that. It's better than Old Man Winter, in any case."

As their mirth died down they settled themselves on the balcony sofa, and fell into a few moments of companionable silence. Elsa absentmindedly smoothed down her dress, her thoughts returning to her realization from moments earlier – that she did not truly know him as well as she would like to think.

"You know…" she said, gaze tentatively drifting up to his. "We've been friends for a long while... and you've never really told me much about yourself…"

"I talk about myself all the time," he replied lightly, quirking an eyebrow at her.

She mimicked the gesture. "Actually, that's not quite true."

"Sure it is. How many times have I told you I'm the magnificent Spirit of Winter, lover of all things fun and mischievous? Really, Elsa, you should learn to pay attention."

That smile. It was her undoing. A breathy laugh fell from her lips, before she shook her head.

"I mean… when we met, I was just a child. What, six, seven years-"

"You were six."

"Exactly, I was _six years old_. So of course I took a lot of what I saw of you and what you told me on face value."

Slowly, his smile seemed to waver at the edges, as he looked away from her. Shrugging, he said, "You already know the most important things, Elsa."

Perhaps she should have left it at that, but somehow, it suddenly felt important, and she persisted, her voice gentle when she continued, "All you ever told me is that you woke up at a frozen pond, the Moon gave you your name, and that Mother Nature told you that you're the Spirit of Winter."

"Which is true."

"Yes, but…" she tilted her head slightly, searching his face, quickly noting how guarded his features had become. "…didn't you come from somewhere? Didn't you have a home, or a family?"

Even as the words left her mouth she could see the momentary flash of anguish blur through his eyes, and she wanted to slap herself for prying. She hated it when people pried, and here she was doing the exact same thing.

To make things worse, he remained quiet for so long that she feared she must have truly upset him.

Elsa bit her lower lip, her hand slowly reaching towards him. "Jack, I'm sorry. That was selfish of me. You really do not have to answer any of that…"

Jack sighed very softly, gaze downcast, though somehow a glimmer of a smile found its way to his lips. "Selfish? _You_? Never in a million years." He chuckled, though the sound was so dim it only made her more worried. "Don't apologize… it's just that I very rarely think about any of this. Simply because these questions that you ask of me, are the same questions that _I've_ been asking for a very long time. All I know is that when I woke up, _this_ is who I was. Who I still am. For so many years, it was enough…"

As his voice faded, their eyes met, and her heart ached as she saw the uncertainty, the longing swirling in his eyes. It was so shocking that it stunned her to her core.

Because this was _Jack_.

Bright, fun-loving, positive, mischievous, cocky _Jack_.

"Sometimes… I can't help but wonder, if there had been anything before… _this_. Was I _someone_? A human being, with a family? Did I have a home? A life? Or… was I just… created for this purpose?"

Winter-hues drifted up towards the moon, and when he continued, it seemed as though he aimed his questions at the sky itself. "And if I had been _someone_ , then why can't I remember it? If I did have a family… why can't I remember them?"

Instinctively, Elsa gently laid her hand atop his shoulder.

"Maybe… maybe, there's a reason you can't remember. An important reason. Like when the trolls took Anna's memories to save her from my magic…"

His gaze turned back to hers, and she suddenly became hyper-aware of her hand on his shoulder. Her fingertips tingled, like when her magic would stir beneath her skin.

Staring into his eyes that held her with such intensity, she could hardly breathe.

"A reason, hm?"

His voice had dipped lower, gaining a husky quality that sent an unexpected shiver up her spine. She could only nod.

Then, suddenly, he smiled – a real Jack smile – and he glanced away, shattering the intensity of the moment. Her hand fluttered weakly back to her lap, and she offered him a demure smile of her own as he grinned at her.

"So what is it that you want to know, Princess? If I have an answer, it is yours."

Warmth swelled inside of her at the relief of his returned playfulness, and so her own playfulness quickly bubbled to the surface.

"What is your favourite colour?" she asked, tilting her head as she surveyed him with all the seriousness she could muster.

He blinked, surprised. "My favourite colour? Really? You're asking the Spirit of _Winter_ about his favourite colour?"

She chuckled. "So, blue then? Or white? Or wait… grey?"

Jack quirked a smile, staring back up at the sky. "Red."

"Red?!" Elsa exclaimed, bewildered amusement blooming across her face. "Really?"

Jack laughed, and the sound warmed her to the tips of her toes. When he turned to look back at her, it was with an 'oh come on' expression, his mouth quirked into a crooked grin. "Of course not. But, you're making it too simple, Elsa."

His tone was playful, yet he was looking at her with that same intensity from moments ago, which caused her heart to skip a beat as she tried to contain her smile. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it's not as simple as _just_ blue, or white, or grey…" he began, speaking slow and huskily, yet the corners of his mouth remained tipped in a smile, "but _all_ of them."

Slowly, her lips parted slightly in uncertainty. He was staring unwaveringly into her eyes, holding her transfixed as he pinned her beneath a gaze as imprisoning as ice. "You asked for my favourite, but how can I choose? Every colour from sky blue to silvery steel, to a shade that reminds me of a field of cornflowers... All of that, bleeding into a ring of sapphire and teal that not even the heart of the most beautiful glacier could ever hope to hold." As he'd spoken, he'd been leaning slightly closer to her, and now his fingertips ghosted against the swell of her cheekbone. "All of those colours, right there in your eyes."

In that moment, she swore her heart stopped.

But he quickly laughed, pulling away as the sound concealed the hitch in her throat when her breath suddenly returned to her.

"So I guess that means I'll have to say the colour of your eyes, is my favourite colour."

Jack was smiling, or rather smirking, as he again leaned in and playfully nudged her with his shoulder. The motion caused her to come back to herself as she released a breathy laugh that sounded a tiny bit strained to her own ears.

When she stayed quiet too long, he playfully arched his brow again. "Do I get to ask questions too or will I have to resort to more mischievous measures to get my answers?"

She blinked, still stunned by his words, but quickly forced a shaky smile.

And she truly didn't want to find out what 'mischievous measures' he had in mind, for certainly she was going crazy when she imagined him coming closer and-

_What on earth is wrong with me tonight?_

"Ah… of course. What would you like to know?"

"Favourite colour?"

Elsa caught his gaze and suddenly let out a surprised laugh. "No! You can't steal my question. Ask something else. Besides, you already know that it's _blue_."

He huffed, mockingly serious before grinning. "Alright, fair enough. Hmm…" He stared out across the sky for a long moment.

"If you could have one day… with no responsibilities, or duties or chores… a day that's just perfect, what would you want it be like? What would you do? Who would you share it with and where would you go?"

Elsa's lips parted momentarily, surprise passing over her features. She hadn't expected such a question from him.

She hummed in thought, allowing herself to truly consider her answer.

"Well… I think I would start by sleeping in," she chuckled.

He snorted playfully, shaking his head with a grin. "Let me guess, breakfast in bed?"

"How did you know?" she asked in mock surprise, her wide smile betraying her.

"Lucky guess. And then?"

Elsa gently pursed her lips as she thought, until after a moment she looked back up at him and smiled. "I think… I'd like to go for a picnic. There's a spot that my mother used to take Anna and I to when we were little… It's in the mountains above Arendelle, and you can see for miles, the ocean lying like a blue carpet at your feet. And I'd want everyone to be there. Anna and Kristoff, happily married, with Olaf being his cheerful self – and Marshmallow should be there too, to keep Olaf in check. My advisors, and everyone working in the castle, and people from the city… even Veda…"

She giggled softly, imagining it play out before her. "Of course there will be all sorts of food, but mainly there will be chocolate."

Jack smiled. "I figured as much."

Elsa met his gaze, gently biting her lip as she looked up at him. "And, there's one more thing I'd want before my perfect day could truly be perfect."

"And that is?"

"I'd… want _you_ to be there… with me. I'd want you there, at my side, with everyone able to see you."

The look blooming across his features was a mixture of surprise and awe, and something like agony. It made her heart ache and sing at the same time, a slow smile spreading across her lips.

"I'd like that, Princess."

She swallowed, nodding.

"So, my turn?"

"Sure."

"After you woke up, and Mother Nature spoke to you, what did you do? Where did you go?"

And so, with just the two of them beneath the moonlight, he told her.

He told her of his home in Isenrest and of the Winter Tree; he spoke of Amarok and the Wolf's cryptic ways; the countless places he had seen, the beautiful world beyond the horizon, the fun times he shared with other winter sprites, the time he'd crossed paths with his Cousins. It flowed from him, and she listened, enchanted by the tales he told.

And for Jack it felt… good, to be able to share it all with someone, to tell them of his life. It brought to mind memories he hadn't thought of in years.

"Someday, I'll show you all those places, Elsa. I'll show you the penguins in the North, and beautiful frozen lakes, endless forests and sprawling cities… I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

Leaning her temple against the sofa's backrest, she smiled. "You promise, Lord of Winter?"

He chuckled. "I promise."

They fell into comfortable silence and eventually the queen's gaze returned to the snowflakes against the glass. "Did you mean what you said earlier? That there really are no two snowflakes that are the same?"

"Well… the chances of it are so slim that I may as well tell you that no, no two of them are the same."

"Why is that?"

He leaned forward in his seat, head tilted up to the sky as his hands gestured while he spoke, "When it snows, the snowflakes form within the clouds themselves, high above in the cold heart of the empty heavens… but as they fall and travel down to the earth, none of them take the exact same route. Some twirl and fall gently down, others are swept up by the wind to sift down somewhere entirely unexpected. It is their journey that shapes them and forms them into something entirely… unique."

Whilst he spoke, she watched him, imagining the snowflakes finding their path down through the wintry skies, but she could not deny that his words made her think not only of snowflakes… but of the two of them.

Both so alike, yet so vastly different – two snowflakes that had each taken their own unique journey through the sky.

When his eyes flickered back to hers, she wondered if he mirrored her thoughts. Her magic may have been like a curse for most of her life, and yet, would she have known him if it were not for her powers? Would she have cared for him the same way, found the same understanding and hope in him? Would she have, _ever_ , found any joy in her magic at all, if it weren't for him?

And if she had never had her magic, would she have been able to see him that day so many years ago, standing in the winter garden behind the castle?

"Reminds me of us," she murmured, eyes downcast, a soft breath escaping through her nose. "Both of us possess the power to make it snow – but your magic has a purpose, a reason – you are Winter's _heart_ , Jack. And I… "

"You're part of Winter, too, Elsa."

She glanced up. When it looked like she would argue, he continued, "You are. A piece of Winter had, somehow, found its way to your soul. It's what gives you your magic. At least, that is my theory. As you may have noticed, I don't even have all the answers about my own existence."

Slowly, she smiled. "...I think I like your theory. Though my mother always used to say that all magic comes from the sky."

He nodded. "She's not entirely wrong. It was the Moon that named me Jack Frost, after all. And if I recall, the Moon also named the Spirit of Autumn, whilst the Sun named the Spirits of Spring and Summer."

"But what about Mother Nature? Didn't she give you your magic?"

Jack shook his head. "No. From the moment I'd opened my eyes, I'd had my staff and my magic. She simply came to tell me what I'm meant to do with them. Mother Nature may have been here first, but the Moon and the Sun? They've been here forever, long before any of us."

After a pause, he smiled. "I should go."

"Getting tired of me?" Elsa jested, trying to hide a yawn behind her hand.

"I think it's the other way around," he chuckled and rose to his feet, extending his hand to help her up. "Straight to bed with you, Princess."

As he gently tugged her to her feet, they ended up standing closer together than either intended. And perhaps it was her exhaustion, but she felt a sudden spark of bravery and coyly arched her brow, peering at him from beneath her long lashes. "And what about you?"

He blinked, and the stunned surprise that flickered across his face was so priceless – that _she_ had rendered _him_ speechless – that she suddenly burst into soft giggles, fingertips covering her lips as she looked at him. "What did you think I was suggesting, Jack Frost?"

Jack playfully narrowed his eyes. "I don't know – what _were_ you suggesting, oh boldest Snow Queen?"

Her mirth slowly ebbed away and she shook her head slightly, still smiling. "It's late... I should clearly get some sleep, before my exhaustion gets me into trouble."

"Trouble is my middle name, if you haven't realized."

Elsa smiled, and opened her balcony door. "I _have_ realized."

He grinned, shook his head. "Before I go… I might not be around for a few days. I have some things I need to do, but I'll be back soon. So I just wanted to let you know. Don't pine over me too much while I'm gone."

Elsa uttered a soft snort of laughter. "No chance of that."

"Ah, you know _just_ how to make me feel wanted. Goodnight, Princess."

He leapt into the sky, leaving a spray of snowflakes to flurry down all around her and get caught in her eyelashes as she watched him disappear into the night.

"Goodnight, Jack Frost."

Elsa headed back inside and changed into her nightgown, but when she was about to get into bed, she saw the gentle colours of the northern lights throwing their hues through Jack's snowflakes on the glass. With a smile on her lips, Elsa quietly slipped out of her bedroom and into the hallway, wondering if Anna would be awake.

She received her answer a moment later when she bumped straight into her sister in the hallway.

"Oh, good! You can't sleep either," the redhead giggled. "I was just on my way to your room."

"The sky keeping you awake?" Elsa quipped.

"You know me… if the sky's awake, so am I. And I've got something for us to do."

Elsa blinked, intrigued. "Oh? At this hour?"

"Well…" Anna began, clearly hard pressed to restrain her grin. "After dinner, I went to explore the manor a little. And guess what I found!"

"A secret stash of chocolate?"

"…Unfortunately, no. Sheesh, now _that_ would have been amazing! But hey it might still be that, actually!"

Elsa chuckled. "Anna, what are you talking about?"

"I found a secret entrance to a secret room!" the redhead exclaimed in glee, bouncing slightly upon the spot. "I would have gone in but I decided to wait till everyone was asleep so that I could persuade you to come with me."

Elsa frowned, intrigued. "A secret room? Hmm… More than likely it's only a secret escape passage or something."

"Oh, come on, it could be something interesting! Lord Buckingham told us about his many adventures right? So what if he has treasures down there?"

"If that's the case, it's not things he wants others to find."

"Exactly."

"Anna!" Elsa laughed softly, stealing a glance around the hallway. "I don't know if this is the best idea… I don't want to snoop around my advisor's private manor. Besides, what if we get caught?"

Anna playfully rolled her eyes. "What is the worst thing that could possibly happen? You're the _queen_ for crying out loud! You're allowed to break _some_ rules."

"You know, when someone asks what's the worst that could happen, it tends to tempt fate-"

"Oh alriiight, fiiine," Anna sighed in melodramatics. "If you don't come with me, I guess I'll have to eat this chocolate all by myself…"

Elsa's eyes went wide when her sister produced a packet of chocolate from her nightgown. "If you hadn't found a secret stash then where did you get those?"

"In the pantry, of course," the princess replied with a type of glee that bordered on maniacal. "And I'm not sharing unless you come with me."

"You play a dirty, underhanded game, Anna."

"I knew you'd see it my way! Now come on- … Oh, what's this?" Anna suddenly asked, her eyes having settled on Elsa's wrist as she'd made to grab it.

It took only a moment for Elsa to realize her sister had seen Jack's ribbon tied around her wrist. And perhaps because Anna rarely saw her without her gloves, the princess seemed to be fascinated by getting a view of Elsa's hand for she gently turned her wrist this way and that to study the ribbon.

"It's just a ribbon, Anna," Elsa said, hoping that her neutral tone would not give away the ribbon's true importance.

But Anna was staring as though lost in thought. "I… did you… wear this on your arm like this when we were young? I could swear…"

Elsa frowned. Back when Jack had given her the ribbon as a present, she'd worn it constantly. But then, later, she'd stored it away in the memory box beneath her bed. She would have assumed that any memory tied to Jack would have been taken by the trolls.

"I have many ribbons, you know."

The princess laughed, shaking her head as she smiled. "Of course, sorry. I just had a weird sense of déjà vu. In any case… we need to go! This chocolate isn't going to eat it by itself and secrets must be uncovered!"

Elsa could only grin as she let herself be led off by her sister.

* * *

In the end the secret area turned out to be exactly what Elsa had predicted – an escape passage, leading to a cleverly hidden trapdoor at the far side of the garden.

"I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed to have been proven right," Elsa giggled, before climbing back down the ladder and picking up the candle they'd left upon the floor.

Anna quickly followed and playfully bumped her shoulder against her sister's. "At least we got to do some adventuring of our own, right? Remember how we used to play hide-and-seek at night, and pretend we were ghosts? And that one time, when we wanted to make mother and father's guests believe the castle was haunted! Oh, I can still remember the scolding we got after that!"

Elsa laughed, the bright sound echoing through the dark hallway. "I remember! They weren't too pleased with our haunting skills."

"Ah well, in my expert opinion, I think you make a really amazing ghost, Elsa."

"Oh why, thank you, you are most kind! It's the pale complexion. And the pale hair."

Their shared chuckles bounced off the walls as they began to make their way back. Chatting cheerfully, they finished the last of the chocolate between them and were nearing the exit when they simultaneously noticed a doorway to the side. The flickering candlelight illuminated the first few paces into its pitch-black hall.

"Oh! How did we miss this? I could have sworn this wasn't here before! Ooh, maybe it opens with a stepping stone or something!" Anna excitedly peered down at the floor, searching for a stone that seemed out of place.

She did not notice the colour completely draining from Elsa's features.

When Anna glanced back up, she froze. "Elsa? You really _do_ look like a ghost right now. Or at least like you've seen one!" Quickly stepping closer, she noticed her sister's intent, unblinking gaze was fixed unwaveringly upon that yawning doorway. Reaching out, Anna tentatively placed the tips of her fingers upon her sister's shoulder.

Elsa started, wide eyes snapping to concerned green hues as a gasp flew from her lips.

"Anna… Something's not right here."

"Elsa, you're shivering! What's wrong?"

The queen's hand fluttered up to rest against her temple. An eerie feeling was rapidly settling over her, like a spell of fatigue… but foreign. Leeching.

 _Cold_.

"I don't… know. I feel strange."

She couldn't describe it. It was like the onset of a fever, but more pronounced, clawing into her chest. Her magic tingled beneath her fingertips, but not in anticipation like it had earlier with Jack – it was _burning_ , like shards of ice prickling beneath her skin.

Firmly grabbing her wrist, Anna hurriedly began leading Elsa towards the exit, leaving the strange doorway behind.

The further they retreated from the secret passage, the more colour returned to Elsa's cheeks. Anna didn't want to admit it, but she'd been terrified. Within seconds, the queen had gone as white as a sheet, and when they'd reached the stairs leading to the passage exit, she'd completely passed out.

After a few moments she'd come to again, but Anna had already been frantically half-dragging, half-carrying her the last few steps.

Now, the princess watched as Elsa slept soundly in her bed, soft rosy hues returning to her features.

Only a few minutes earlier, Anna been determined to find a servant to call upon a doctor, but Elsa had grabbed her wrist and insisted she didn't need one. She was feeling much better, she'd said.

Refusing to leave her side, Anna had stayed, and even now she was still reeling from the sudden terror that had ignited in her veins. She'd never seen anyone get so sick so quickly. And then recover so quickly as well.

It wasn't normal.

Gently, she tucked a lock of flaxen hair behind her sleeping sister's ear. She had a strong suspicion why Elsa didn't want to see a doctor. Whatever had happened down in that passage, it must have somehow been related to Elsa's magic. And while Anna had no idea what, exactly, had happened, it didn't take a genius to figure out that something in that passage, something beyond that dark doorway, had caused the sudden illness.

Armed with this thought, the princess decided to go back for a closer inspection.

But as she silently padded down the stairs, she realized it was already early morning, and the manor was quietly awakening for the new day. Servants scurried past her, on their way to the kitchen, and there was the unmistakable scent of coffee being brewed.

For a moment, she lingered in the hall, wringing her fingers together as she wondered what to do, fervently wishing Kristoff was there with her.

 _Calm down feisty pants,_ he would have said. _We'll get to the bottom of this._

That's when she suddenly heard Lord Buckingham speaking to someone in the foyer. At any other time she would have thought nothing of it – but there was something tight in his voice, an emotion she could not quite define yet was somehow very contrasting to his usual passive tone.

Her nightgown swished around her ankles as Anna hesitantly stepped into the foyer, finding a pale Lord Buckingham staring down at a note held limply in his hand. A messenger was being shown out the front door by the butler.

"My lord? Is everything alright?" Anna asked, perplexedly watching the raven-haired man as she approached. He so rarely showed any strong emotion that it rattled her to see his features pulled sharp in dread.

"I've just had a report…" he began, his grey eyes drifting dazedly up to hers.

Something cold gripped her insides.

"A report about what?"

He slowly shook his head, like he could not quite believe what he was about to say. "Unfortunately… an entire flock of the villagers' livestock was found dead this morning."

She blanched. "That's terrible! What happened?" Gently, she reached out to rest her hand upon his arm.

"It seems…" he said, his gaze piercing straight through her heart. "They've all been claimed… by _frostbite_."

* * *

 


	10. Withering Flower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood or Frozen. They are owned, respectively, by Dreamworks, William Joyce, and Disney. This fanfiction was written out of love for the original works, and is purely for entertainment purposes. I'm not making money by writing this fanfiction, nor am I profiting from it in any way.
> 
> Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who has left kudos, reviews, comments or followed/favourited my story. Feedback is essential to all writers, so know that your support means a great deal to me and encourages me when I feel like I want to quit :)

* * *

  **Chapter 9: Withering Flower**

_Oh, you can hear me cry_

_See my dreams all die_

_From where you're standing_

_On your own._

_It's so quiet here_

_And I feel so cold_

_This house no longer_

_Feels like home_

\- So cold, Nikisha Reyes

* * *

The manor was quiet. Eerie. Certainly not the same peaceful quiet of the day before, but the type that reminded Anna of a lull before the storm, when the air would come alive with anticipation.

Except it was not anticipation filling the silent hallways of Lord Buckingham's manor, but _dread_.

And coldness.

Anna rubbed her hands up and down her arms, teeth clattering slightly as she grabbed a blanket from her sofa and wrapped it around her shoulders. It was so clear to her now, after all these years, why she'd always thought Castle Arendelle to be cold. Ever since she can remember the hallway in which both her room and Elsa's were located was always colder than the rest. She'd grown used it over the years, ascribing it to a draft that would come and go.

But it had never been a draft, just like the coldness seeping through the country manor now had nothing to do with the weather.

It was her sister.

Her sister's _magic_.

Only minutes after having received the report, Lord Buckingham had gone to wake Elsa himself, and had informed her of the news. They'd all immediately set out to the farmland, to investigate the matter for themselves.

Anna still couldn't decide what had been worse. The lifeless bodies of the animals coated in something that she could only describe as black ice – or her sister's utterly forlorn expression when the villagers had begun to scream at her.

Witch!

Ice Queen!

Monster!

The naked horror that had flashed so vividly across her face, the recoil, as though she'd been slapped. It was worse than that night in Arendelle. Elsa had slowly been on the path to trusting herself – and now, everything was turned upside down once more. Anna had never seen her sister like this. She'd been like a deer, frozen in fright, staring at the hunter looming near.

Lord Buckingham and Veda had managed to get the villagers under control – but the damage had already been done. Elsa had turned her horse around and fled, galloping off at an alarming speed. When Anna and Lord Buckingham returned to the manor, there had been no sign of her. She'd only arrived much later in the day to lock herself in her chambers. Hours later, Anna had heard Elsa and Lord Buckingham deliberating from within his closed study; snatches of their conversation had drifted through the hallways, Elsa's usually calm voice rising to an almost hysterical pitch.

The temperature steadily dropped by the minute, and Anna could not help but recall those terrified moments that she'd lain shivering in the library back in Arendelle, with her half-frozen heart. Abandoned by Hans, by her sister. She lit the fireplace, hoping to chase away the cold and the bad memories.

She missed Kristoff. He would have known how to make her feel better.

Staring into the flickering flames, one question after the other filtered through her mind. How could something like this have happened? The farmlands were too far away for Elsa's powers to have had any effect on the livestock. Right? It couldn't possibly have been her fault. But then again she had no idea how Elsa's magic even worked. Stars, she was still getting used to the idea that her own sister could _make it snow_.

As hours dragged by, her tired mind was eventually left with the one thing she'd been asking herself ever since she'd first found out about Elsa's secret.

 _Why_ had Elsa never _told_ her about her magic?

And why had their parents kept this secret from her? Why had Lord Buckingham known, when she did not?

It hurt. Not only had her sister kept this secret from her for all her life – but their parents had kept it too. Perhaps they'd all had their reasons – but that was part of the problem. She couldn't go on like this, never knowing _why_.

She would never truly be able to help Elsa, when she still did not _understand_.

It was with this thought that Anna stood up and marched to her sister's room. She didn't bother to knock, too afraid of the rejection, and reached for the doorknob. When the door opened, she hesitated in surprise.

Inside, it was as cold and dark as a winter's evening.

It took her several moments to spot her sister. Elsa was sitting on the carpet, legs pulled against her chest, head resting against the glass of the balcony door, staring up at the sky.

Anna quietly slipped inside, closing the door behind her.

"Did you ever wonder how you got that white piece in your hair?"

The princess froze in shock – she hadn't expected her sister to speak. And her question seemed to have come out of nowhere. Reflexively, Anna reached up to touch the white lock between her loose, red tresses, absently curling it around a fingertip as she glanced perplexedly at Elsa.

"Mother told me I'd been born with it," she finally answered, still unable to move an inch from her spot.

"You weren't," Elsa stated flatly. She didn't even look up. "A lie, told to keep you safe. A lie, to conceal the monster in your midst."

Anna swore her heart plummeted straight to her feet, her chest tightening with growing apprehension.

"I've always had my magic," Elsa continued, still staring fixedly up at the sky. "Mother said I'd scarcely been a few weeks old when one of my toys had frosted beneath my fingertips."

A sad smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "But my first memory of my magic was only after you'd been born. I'd probably been four years old, and you were lying in your crib, and I frosted all the trinkets of your mobile. I can only recall flashes now… but I still clearly remember your squeal of glee. Your happy smile." Softly, a breathy laugh fell from her lips. "That first moment… That's how it remained afterwards. You _loved_ my magic. Some days I'd been certain you loved it even more than I did. We would play for hours on end; ice skating in the Grand Hall, have snowball fights in the garden on the warmest of days, build snowmen in Mother's salon…"

Elsa's gaze dropped down to her hands, her fingers slowly curling into fists. "Until one day, everything changed. That night, the sky had been awake. And like always, you hadn't been able to sleep. You'd woken me up… and…" Her throat constricted, and she swallowed hard, forcing herself to finally say the words aloud. "We went down to the Grand Hall. We played in my snow, like we always did, but… you were jumping so fast – such complete trust in me – and I… I couldn't catch you fast enough. My magic – it _struck_ you. You fell… That single piece of your hair turned as white as snow."

Anna could only stare, unable even to blink away the gleam of tears forming in her eyes. Her throat clamped shut, her arms absently wrapping around herself.

"We raced to the Trolls," Elsa said, listlessly. "And they had to take your memories. To _save_ you from the effects of my magic. That's why you can't remember any of this. That's why I never told you. Because I had to keep you safe. And the moment I stopped trying to control it, the moment I allowed myself to let go – _I froze your heart_."

Those last words were spoken with a breathless brokenness, and the queen pressed her fingers against her mouth in anguish. After a long moment of choking silence, Elsa slowly glanced up to meet her sister's gaze – and Anna's insides wrenched at the misery in those icy hues.

"Do you understand now, Anna? Do you finally see what I really am? I am not _normal_. I am an abomination, a witch, a _monster_. Until I am rid of my magic, I will never be able to stop hurting those around me. Until then, I am a danger to everyone. Most of all, to _you_."

The princess shuddered, her entire body beginning to shiver from the mess of emotions swirling inside of her. She wanted to argue, to tell Elsa she would _never_ think of her as a monster – but no words were forthcoming. It felt as though the world had been turned upside down. She couldn't think, could barely breathe. All she could do was stare into that cold, anguished gaze.

And then, with her heart rending itself apart, she left without a backwards glance.

* * *

Elsa curled tighter into herself.

Hours had passed since Anna had left.

Lord Buckingham had entered at some point after, to inform her that he was handling the situation. She'd hardly heard him, hardly felt him pick her up from the carpet to lay her on the bed.

All she could see were those animals, coated in icy crystals that shimmered black. The villagers, their angry accusations hitting her like stones.

And Anna, turning away without a word.

She didn't understand. She couldn't grasp how this had happened. Why only the animals? Why were there no other signs of frost on the ground, in the field? How did this even occur when she hadn't been there to freeze them? She'd never even seen her ice turn black.

But she'd seen it turn _red_.

What did it matter anyway? Her mind could spin in a thousand circles, it didn't change the fact that it was her fault. There could be no other explanation for a flock to die of frostbite in the summer.

She couldn't go on like this.

 _Something_ needed to be done. It stirred at the back of her mind, a thought she'd nurtured for as long as she could remember, yet never truly having considered as a real option. But desperation was slowly eating away at her resolve and there was clearly no way that she would ever be able to rule a kingdom with this curse in her veins.

Her magic needed to _end_.

It was very late that night when she finally fell asleep, only to be plagued by horrible nightmares that held her in their unrelenting grasp and chased her through infinite corridors shimmering in black frost. Ever since the Ice Storm, she would have nightmares every now and then – but they would fade come morning light. This one, however, felt real and vivid in ways it had no right to, like the night terrors she used to have when she was a child. Black ice crept along the narrowing hallways, a red, flickering flame casting dancing shadows all around her. She was gasping, retreating, flinching away from the black ice creeping closer and closer-

Suddenly, she woke up, to find Jack crouched by the side of her bed.

Her gaze found his. Detachedly, she saw the concern in his eyes, the dip of his brow.

When he said her name, her heart tugged, and she was yanked from the last clutches of the nightmare.

"Jack? You're here… I thought you had things to take care of…"

A strange look passed across his features. He stayed quiet for a moment, before he murmured, "You were screaming. In your sleep. I didn't realize your nightmares had gotten so bad again."

He searched her face, cool fingertips tracing down her cheekbone to place a stray lock of hair behind her ear before reaching to clasp her fingers in his. "Tell me what's wrong, Princess."

She inhaled a shuddering breath. The first words from her lips were almost a confession of how terribly she'd missed him.

But then she steeled herself, and told him what had happened.

Jack didn't say a word while she spoke, simply staring at her intently with that deep concern still present in his darkening eyes. When she fell quiet, tenderness bloomed across his features. He reached forward with his free hand to gently stroke his thumb across her cheek. Only then did she realize she'd been crying.

"Jack, Anna just _left_ ," Elsa murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "She must hate me so much…"

He shook his head, a brief, bitter smile revealing a flash of white teeth. "She doesn't hate you, snowflake."

A moment slipped by, the tip of his thumb feathering across her chin, to linger against the swell of her bottom lip. She could feel the wetness of her tear against his touch.

Suddenly, he got to his feet, his grasp slipping from hers. He placed his staff against the bedside table and before she realized what was happening, he'd leaned down and scooped her into his arms, only to move her further along the bed so he could lie down at her side. With his arms still wrapped around her, he drew her snugly against his chest, his chin coming to rest atop her hair.

Elsa drew in a sharp breath, her heart suddenly soaring. For a paralyzing few seconds, she could hardly breathe.

Then, on her first inhale, the scent of him washed through her. He smelled so good. Like a crisp, winter's morning; cold and clean with a hint of pine. Unable to restrain herself, she buried her face in the dip of his shoulder, her fingers curling into his cloak.

He stroked her hair, his nimble, cool fingers brushing through her tresses in soothing motions. When had she ever been this close to anyone? It was a strange thought in the light of the current circumstances – but no one had ever run their fingers through her hair like he was doing right then. No one had ever held her like this…

It was having a really bizarre effect on her heartbeat.

Gently, he placed his fingertip beneath her chin and tilted her head up, causing her breath to all but disappear when their eyes met. His gaze held a strange intensity she had never seen before and couldn't quite place. "Elsa, this wasn't your fault. I don't care what anyone says, _this was not your fault_. And I promise you, I will help you to find out what happened. Now, go back to sleep. I'll stay right here."

With that, her guardian tucked her head back against his chest, and she focused on his heartbeat, clinging to it like the desperate hope he'd planted in her heart.

* * *

By the time Jack made his way to the field Elsa had described, soft morning light crept over the valley. There was no sign of the livestock. Landing gracefully upon the grass, he let out a harsh sigh, hands clenching into fists. The wind stirred his cloak, his eyes roaming over the abandoned field.

He'd hoped to see the animals for himself. Even a single glance would have been enough. Yet as he slowly stepped through the swaying grass, he found no tell-tale signs of frostbite anywhere.

There was something else, though. Something that felt… off.

He paused, suddenly realizing what it was.

A residual haze of magic, lingering in the air like a cloying perfume.

Jack sneered, frowning in contemplation. Magic? It held echoes of winter magic, but it was certainly not Elsa's. He would have known if it had been hers, he would have sensed it in a heartbeat.

 _This_ … was different.

But that could only mean that someone had deliberately caused the animals to die. This wasn't some sort of uncontrolled fluke, a stray hint of Elsa's magic somehow causing a spell of frostbite as the villagers no-doubt believed.

No, it hadn't been Elsa.

But now the question remained, who could possibly have done this?

* * *

It was a relief to be back home. As soon as Elsa had dismounted her steed, there had been a ton of work to throw herself into. Lord Eddelbreck had all but interrogated her on every aspect of their tour. He had anxiously kept adjusting his monocle, clearly unhappy with the way things had ended, but it was plain to see that he was relieved about her safety. Her Guard Captain also assured her that everything had run smoothly in their absence, and it brought her some relief that at the very least, things in the city were under control.

For the moment she had a slew of pressing matters to occupy herself with, especially since their tour of the villages had ended so abruptly. There was court sessions to hold, renovations to oversee, final arrangements of the Ball to approve, meetings with dignitaries, letters to write, reports to read. While Lord Buckingham immersed himself in damage control and tried to minimise the rumours spreading from Hjertendalen, she was filling her schedule to such an extreme that she hardly had time to breathe.

Which conveniently meant she also had no time to talk to her sister. Or face her emotions.

And all the while, a plan was forming at the back of her mind. Jack's promise to help her find out what happened brought her a sense of calm that carried her through the following days. He'd told her of the magic he'd sensed at the field, but even his suspicions of someone else being responsible was not quite enough for her to let go of her idea to rid herself of her powers completely. She knew that if she was going to find answers about her magic, such as if it was even possible to remove it completely, then a good place to start would probably be her mother's diaries. But as the days rushed by, she had no time to search for them.

The one thing that brought her some genuine peace was Olaf. He followed her around all day, carrying her letters, bringing her flowers, and causing her to laugh at his silliness.

When she looked at him, caught in a sneezing fit from the heather he had clasped in one hand, she felt her heart lightened. Of all the mistakes she'd made in her life, of all the hurt she'd caused to those around her, Olaf was the one thing she'd done _right_.

On the third morning after they'd arrived back from their journey, Elsa was sitting at her desk in her bedroom, reviewing the final arrangements for the Midsummer Ball. She didn't know why she shouldn't simply cancel the whole thing, seeing as word was spreading from Hjertendalen, and no doubt the rumour had completely outgrown its origin. Though cancelling the Ball now would probably only do more harm than good. She shuddered to think what the people were already saying of her.

She was so involved in her work that when there came a knock on the door she didn't even consider who it might be before calling for them to come in.

Gaze still fixed on her documents, Elsa didn't look up until the person was standing at her side.

Her gaze widened when she found her sister there. "Oh! Anna!" She scrambled for an excuse to mask her sudden panic. "I… apologize, I'm very busy. Do you think we can maybe-"

"No."

The princess folded her arms, looking quite cross.

Elsa blinked. "No?"

"You don't get to do this again, Elsa," Anna said, staring fixedly down at her sister, her green eyes sparking. "I've tried to talk to you several times since we've gotten back, but you've kept avoiding me. So, alright fine, I'm used to you needing your space and time to work through everything. But you don't get keep brushing me off like you did in the past. I thought we'd gotten past that?"

Elsa stilled, the hurt twisting through her chest.

Slowly, Anna's features softened, and she rested a hand atop her sister's shoulder. "I am your sister, and you're stuck with me. Forever."

"But I… I thought you…"

"That I would hate you? That I _truly_ thought you were a monster? All I've ever wanted in my entire life was to understand _why_. And now I finally do. I am sorry that I walked out after you told me – that was my mistake. But it was a lot to take in. Only after I've thought about it, I realized that everything finally started to make sense… That you never shut _me_ out, but you shut _yourself_ out _from_ me."

Elsa stared up at her sister, completely speechless, completely unable to stop the gleam of tears from spilling across her cheeks. "Oh, Anna, I'm so sorry. All I ever wanted was to protect you. For all those years… it tore me apart to never be there for you, to make you think I hated you while the truth was always that you mean the world to me. I'm so sorry… It's all been my fault. I wish I'd never hurt you."

When Elsa's shoulder started to shake, Anna swooped in to hug her, wrapping her tightly in her arms. "It's alright. It's alright," she soothed. "It was an _accident_. I forgive you. I forgive you Elsa, for everything. And I am sorry too."

Hearing those words, the forgiveness she'd always sought, it brought the tears to spill in earnest, sobs racking her chest. She cried as Anna held her, cried for everything she hadn't allowed herself to process.

"But… how will I ever be able to make up for it? For all the _years_ of shutting you out?"

The princess smiled. "Day by day."

Slowly, Anna unwrapped her arms to crouch by Elsa's side, linking their hands. "I don't blame you, Elsa. Yes, I had spent many years being angry, and hurt. But there had never been a _single day_ when I'd wished for a different sister."

There were no words Elsa could possibly say in response to that. How could she describe the incredible warmth flooding through her? How could she manage to convey that _Anna_ had always been the sunlight that could melt away the ice of her heart? But she managed a smile through her tearful expression. What had she ever done to deserve such a beautiful person as her sister? Someone who was so quick to forgive her, who loved her despite everything…

"So no more blaming yourself," Anna firmly continued. "No more avoiding me. No more keeping everything cooped up until the castle freezes over, okay?"

A soft laugh escaped Elsa's lips. "Okay."

Then with a last comforting squeeze to her sister's hands, Anna rose to her feet and went to head to the door. "I'm going to arrange some tea for us, and then we're going to talk, and just forget about everything else for a little while. Besides, I have a ton of questions."

With a deep breath, Elsa nodded.

It was time.

* * *

The sisters spent the rest of the morning and the most of the afternoon talking.

Elsa told Anna _everything._ Thattheir happy childhood years had almost been like a fairytale, spent side by side. She explained to Anna exactly what had happened _that_ night, and everything the Trolls had told them all those years ago – that Anna's memories were still real, but that all traces of Elsa's magic had been removed from them. She answered Anna's questions about her powers as best she could, and she finally allowed herself to say just how hard all those years had been for her – that she used to watch Anna play outside, wishing she could join her. That it had been so difficult to always turn away from the person she'd loved most. For so many years, she'd forced her heart to turn to ice, all the while trying to cope with powers that were only growing stronger.

And she listened to Anna's grief as well. The loneliness of growing up in an absent sister's shadow. But – as was always the case with Anna – there had been hope in the princess's heart. Hope that her sister loved her, and that things would be different one day.

And now they finally were.

There were tears, but mostly there was relief. And smiles between the unhappiness they were finally able to let go of.

"Oh, Elsa… I wish… I wish I could have known about all of this sooner. I understand why mother and father had felt it best to keep it from me, but maybe once I'd been older…" Anna sighed, wiping her fingertips across her wet cheeks.

"I think there had been a time when they did want to tell you," Elsa said softly. Anna's gaze quickly found hers. "But I'd been so afraid. There were times when I pushed _them_ away too. I hadn't wanted to see _anyone_. I was terrified. I still am… Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be free of fear. And yet… I can't imagine my life without it. It's always been my shield."

Anna scooted closer on the sofa and grabbed Elsa's hand. "Elsa, you're not alone. _Everyone_ is afraid of something. To be afraid is not wrong… but you shouldn't let fear rule over you, because it's only when you act in spite of it, that you can truly overcome it. I'll always be here for you. And I wish I could tell you to simply stop being afraid, because you have me, and _I'll_ be you shield. Even yourself, every now and then. But I… I know I can't ever really understand what it feels like to have a power that you can't truly control."

Elsa let out a deep breath, the warmly spoken words making her heart swell with gratefulness. She thought of that day on the ice, when Anna had stepped in front of a blade for her. How terrified she must have been, and yet she had acted. In spite of her fear.

"You're right. And you have no idea how much you're already helping. Don't feel like you aren't doing enough, because simply knowing you're here, and you don't blame me, and that we can finally, _truly_ be sisters… That means the world to me."

A tiny smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "And I know I haven't ever said this enough – but I love you, little sister."

Tears sprung to Anna's green eyes, as she suddenly enveloped Elsa in a great, tight hug. "I love you too, Elsa."

Taking a deep breath as they pulled away, Elsa paused, wondering if this was the right moment to tell Anna about Jack. He had been a part of her sister's life as well, how ever briefly it may have been – and it felt wrong to keep his existence a secret now, when she had finally told Anna about the day it all began. And if she was being honest with herself, she _wanted_ Anna to believe in Jack. She wanted him to become a bigger part of her life. Back at the manor, she'd told him about her wish for a perfect day… that she wanted everyone to be able to see him.

And she still wanted that. More than anything.

"Anna, there's still some-"

She was cut off by a knock on the door. It was Kai, the Royal Castellan. He entered with an apologetic smile, carrying a small silver tray. "I beg your pardon for intruding, your Highnesses, but Lord Adlar had finalised the invitation for the Midsummer Ball and had requested that I bring it to your attention _immediately_. He humbly asks that your Highnesses provide him with feedback before he sends the invitation to the honoured guests."

"Oh, I can't wait to see what it looks like!" Anna exclaimed, jumping from her seat and snatching the invitation from the offered tray, before plopping back down next to Elsa.

The moment they both saw it, they let out gasps of wonder. The invitation was made of extravagant, royal purple paper, with Arendelle's crocus in golden filigree emblazoned beautifully upon the front. Then, as Anna carefully opened it, the paper feeling like velvet between her fingertips, a puff of golden dust rose into the air, causing them to giggle.

"Lord Adlar certainly does not settle for nothing less than magnificent," Elsa laughed.

"Oh, how beautiful," Anna cooed, tracing her fingertip along the golden flowers that framed the eloquent words inside. "Honoured Guest, you are hereby cordially invited to attend the Midsummer Masquerade Ball at Arendelle Castle… Oh, Elsa! I can't believe it! I'm so excited!"

Anna leapt up and spun in a circle, joyfully dragging her sister up with her. "We're going to dance, and laugh, and have fun and oh I can't wait!"

Elsa laughed as Anna dragged her into a silly dance, and caught Kai's gaze over her sister's shoulder. "Please tell Lord Adlar that we absolutely approve the invitation, and that he can send them out at his earliest convenience!"

Kai bowed deeply, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Certainly, your Highness."

As Kai closed the door behind him, Anna suddenly brought them to a halt.

"Oh my gosh, Elsa!"

"What?" the queen asked, eyebrows arched.

"Dresses!"

"Dresses?"

"Yes, dresses! For us! To wear to the Ball!"

Elsa blinked. "Oh, well I'd thought I'd wear one of the dresses I'd had made after the coronation-"

"What! No! You're kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding! You made a dress out of _frost and ice_ and you're going to wear one of _those_ old things?"

"Well, I mean they're hardly _old_ -"

"Oh, pish posh! There is no way that I'm going to that Ball without wearing the most _ridiculously_ beautiful dress ever – and neither are you! My sister has ice magic that can make gorgeous dresses even _more_ gorgeous! Do you really think I'm going to pass that up?"

A slow smile spread across Elsa's lips. For a moment, she felt like they were little girls again, with Anna shouting "do the magic, do the magic!"

With a rare, bright smile, showing her pearly whites, Elsa let out a breathy laugh. "Alright then, I guess we need to get the dressmaker in here."

"You promise to add some magical, icy details?"

"I promise."

* * *

The following day, Elsa was seated at her desk in her study after dinner, when a light tapping upon the window drew her gaze.

She was met with the sight of a brilliant smile, and a shock of silver hair.

Rising to her feet, she opened the window for him.

"Is there a specific reason you prefer to use the window, Jack? I mean, you could very easily slip in through the main doors and come up the stairs." Her voice sounded slightly flat, as though she was annoyed.

Jack simply smirked in response and slipped inside. "And where would the fun in that be?"

She scoffed, turning away from him to head back to her desk. "Does everything always have to be about _fun_ with you? What about responsibility and duty and doing what is right?"

He paused, arching a brow. Had Elsa just snapped at him? "This isn't actually about the window, is it?"

She sighed, sinking down into her chair and plopped her head into her hands. "No… I'm sorry. It's just this Ball. I don't know. On the one hand, I'm excited because _Anna_ is excited, but an even bigger part of me is absolutely dreading it. After what happened in Hjertendalen…" Elsa shook her head. "Everyone is expecting of me to laugh and dance and pretend everything is alright while I meet one suitor after the other…"

"Suitors, hm?" Jack mused, giving his staff a twirl as he moved through her study. He absently began picking up random objects and setting them back down, looking anywhere but at her.

"Yes…" she continued, watching his back where he stood facing the bookcase. She didn't quite know why she kept talking, but for some reason she wanted to hear his reaction… or maybe she just needed to hear the words herself, to let them sink in. After all, she did need to choose husband someday, if not soon.

"My advisors believe Arendelle could so with some stability. And of course I agree with them. But their proposed way of achieving that is by letting me marry one of these eligible suitors they've picked out for me. I suppose they hope to show the people that if I can get married, there is no reason to fear me."

He stiffened, his pale knuckles turning white as snow from his tightening grip on his staff.

And Elsa stilled, her heartbeat falling quiet.

Then, when he turned around, his mouth was quirked into a brilliant, crooked grin that made her completely lose her train of thought.

"You are entirely too worked up."

She frowned, sending an icy glare in his direction.

Jack playfully held up his hands in defence. "Hey, I'm only saying that you need to do something for yourself once a while. Something… to take your mind off of all of your _responsibilities_ and _duties_."

"Such as?"

"Having some fun?" he said lightly, tilting his head at her as he shrugged.

By the Moon. Why did he have to peer at her from beneath his fringe like that? As if his eyes weren't captivating enough…

Elsa slowly exhaled, glancing down to shuffle some papers upon her desk.

"I know you mean well, Jack. But-"

Suddenly something cold and powdery struck her in the shoulder. Her gaze whipped up, the snow crumbling down to pool in her lap. As she jumped to her feet, it dropped down to the carpet.

"You did _not_ just hit me with a _snowball_!"

Jack laughed, the sound sending an unexpected rush of butterflies through her stomach. "I didn't? I could swear I did. Maybe I should try again?"

Instantly, he attacked - but this time, Elsa was quicker. She swiftly dodged, his snowball harmlessly hitting the desk to burst into a spray of white powder. Some of it struck an opened ink pot, and the ink spilled across the mahogany wood.

Jack's eyes grew wide. "Stars, I'm sor-" He never finished his sentence, as a great ball of snow formed in the air above his head, and promptly plopped down upon him, spilling the powdery stuff all across his hair and cloak.

When he finally managed to wipe most of it out of his eyes, he could only watch, stunned, as Elsa was doubled over with laughter. "You should have seen your face," she managed between giggles.

Jack stood completely dumbfounded in the wake of her mirth. How could she keep a laugh like that hidden away? He smirked. "You know I can't let you get away after that one."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I strike your ego too hard?"

Elsa quickly ducked behind her desk chair as a volley of snowballs was flung in her direction. Carefully peeking out from behind the armrest, she sent a returning shower of snow but Jack simply swept into the air, safely out of reach.

Within minutes the study was transformed into a snowy battlefield, echoing with laughter. The carpet was covered in the remnants of snowballs, a vase of roses lay overturned on a table, its pool of water slowly turning into frosty crystals.

She was hiding behind the sofa when quick as a flash, Jack swooped in and grabbed her, smudging a snowball all over her hair as her squeals of protest rang out through the room. He laughed, both arms now curving around her waist as she tried to get away from him.

"Jack, _stop_!" she laughed.

She reached up, trying to wipe the snow from her eyes. He took pity on her and dusted it from her hair. When she dropped her hands, he smiled, but his fingertips remained in her snowy locks.

"Better?" he grinned.

There was frosty flecks still clinging to her eyelashes. And she was beaming up at him, her cheeks flushed pink, her eyes bright like stars.

She nodded, uttering a soft yes, and he made the mistake of glancing down to her lips. They fell quiet, growing still in their embrace. His fingers feathered through her hair, and suddenly his heart was beating too fast, and it made him reckless.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are to me," he murmured, eyes dancing to hers, the backs of his fingers slipping down her cheek in a soft caress.

"Jack…" Her voice hitched softly, tinged with hesitation.

But his only response was to ghost the tip of his thumb across her lower lip before gently clasping her jaw, and her pulse thrummed visibly in the pale dip of her throat.

He minutely lowered his silver head, eyes searching hers. Within those hues he found an endless sea of emotions, and it filled him with confidence and yet uncertainty too. Their quickened breaths fell in wisps of mist between them and the whole world went silent. Time slowed down, their noses brushed and they moved closer, but the sliver of space remained, and despite his heart yearning for hers he could not bring himself to capture her lips.

But then, the door of her study creaked open, and they jumped apart, the moment splintering into shards of shock and embarrassment and the return of reason, as their wide gazes fixed upon the snowman shuffling towards them.

Olaf suddenly paused, and while Elsa was certain he was going to remark upon the tension no-doubt hanging heavily in the room, he wasn't looking at them. His gaze studied the battlefield all around them.

"You had a snowball fight without me?" he asked, so dejectedly that a pang of guilt twisted through her.

"I'm sorry, Olaf," she said, forcing her voice to remain even and controlled, despite her heart beating out of control. "It was… somewhat unplanned."

"Oh, that's alright!" His smile was quick to return. "Say, did you guys know that the top yummy part of a cake is called _icing_? Anna just told me. I think I like cake even more now." He chuckled, shuffling over to the sofa where he hopped up to took a seat.

Elsa let out a soft, shuddering sigh, waving a hand to let the snow littered all around her study dissipate. Only then, when her heart no longer felt like a molten thing beneath her ribs, did she dare to glance at Jack.

But he was looking down at the snowman as he quietly sat down next to Olaf, and said, "You know what sounds even better than icing? _Frosting_."

"Frosting! Like Jack Frost!" Olaf exclaimed, chuckling.

Jack grinned. "Exactly! Now you have _another_ reason to like cake."

"There _are_ many reasons. My list keeps getting longer!"

Despite the trembling in her blood, Elsa could not keep the smile from gracing her lips, as she watched these two wintry souls bicker back and forth about desserts. She quietly made her way towards the bookcase, and picked out a book their talk had reminded her of.

_Hansel and Gretel._

She made her way to the sofa and when she'd settled beside Olaf, she flipped the book open, starting to read with a quiet smile upon her lips. Jack and Olaf quickly became enraptured by the cake house, and its candied walls – she may have embellished it a tiny bit more than the story – but when the witch appeared and captured the children, Olaf was appalled. "She catches them? For eating the cake? But that's… terrible! Cake is meant to be shared!"

Elsa pursed her lips in an effort to conceal her smile.

"You're making this up, aren't you?" Jack teased, and their eyes met for the first time since their… _moment_ earlier.

Her lips twitched. "Am I?"

"Yes, I'll prove it. Give me the book."

Jack took the tome from her hands, and when their fingers brushed she was certain her heart would leap from her chest. Fortunately, her reaction went unnoticed as he lightly settled the book between his long fingers and read, "Hansel and Gretel devoured every last crumb of the cake house. From the ice-blue frosting to the chocolate sprinkles."

"Chocolate sprinkles!" Olaf cried gleefully.

"They plucked the cherries from the frosting-roof, and they broke apart the choc-chip doors. Finally, when they made their way inside, they found all the furniture to be made of _ice-cream_ cake!"

Olaf all but squealed. "Oooh, my favourite!"

"And they lived happily ever after. The end."

A smug smirk appeared on Jack's lips as Olaf cheered, clapping his stick hands.

"I like that ending much better," the snowman sighed.

Jack smiled, though when his eyes danced to Elsa's, she found a measure of seriousness within his gaze. "Me too," he said. "Happy endings are the best kind of endings, after all."

A slow, hesitant smile made its way to her lips, and she was certain he could see straight through all of her walls, right into the depths of her heart. Hadn't he always?

But then he grinned and the seriousness evaporated as he and Olaf once again fell into an easy conversation.

It wasn't long afterwards that Olaf fell asleep, and they made their way to Elsa's chambers, Jack carrying Olaf in his arms. He laid the snowman on the sofa in Elsa's room and smiled when he straightened.

"He reminds me so much of what you were like when you were little." Jack turned to face her, quirking a grin. "Makes me feel old."

As they stepped out onto her balcony, she tilted her head at him. "You're not _that_ old."

Amusement flickered through his eyes, his lips twitching into a smirk as he leaned in, brow arching. "You know I'm old enough to be your grandfather right?"

Elsa blinked, taken aback, smile slipping away as his words sunk in.

He'd said it in jest, and yet… and yet.

He must have realized the sudden sobering of the moment, for he straightened, widening the space between them as he rubbed the back of his neck, viewing her from the corner of his eye.

"Then… how old _are_ you, exactly?" she asked, hoping her voice did not betray the onslaught of confusing feelings.

A flash of pearly white teeth as he chucked breathlessly. "It's been seventy three years since I woke up at the pond."

She blanched, eyes going wide as the shock bloomed across her features. "Seventy three _years_?"

Fixedly, she stared at him as a thousand thoughts raced through her head. When she'd met Jack, he'd told her that he'd woken up at a pond a very long time ago, where Mother Nature gave him his purpose. But for some reason, she'd never imagined… never even thought that it could have been _that_ long ago.

Ever since his return, at the back of her mind, it had gnawed at her that he had not aged. Thirteen years had gone by, but he looked exactly as she remembered him, a young man that seemed to be about nineteen or twenty – but why hadn't she realized what that _meant_?

What it _truly_ meant?

Perhaps in her childlike belief in him, the idea that he truly was an _ageless_ being had never fully occurred to her.

Until now.

She grasped at a way to hide the impact of his words, to return to their earlier playfulness, but it was as though her breath had been knocked from her chest and she couldn't _think_.

Finally, he was the one to break the silence, though he turned his gaze away from her to look up at the moon when he spoke. "Spirits don't age. We stay the same, unaffected by time. For all eternity, as I understand."

He said it so lightly, so detachedly, as though he was remarking on the weather.

So why did it feel like her whole world was suddenly falling apart?

Elsa swallowed, hard, a tremor shaking through her body and she suddenly felt sick, sick to her very core as one single thought pounded through her head-

 _She_ would age, and get married and have children and rule a kingdom and grow old and watch her grandchildren be born before she would breathe her last breath and _leave_ this world.

Someday, she would die.

But _Jack_ , he would stay exactly as he is now…

Forever.

And as one thought lead to the next, try as she might to turn her mind away from the sickening truth, it tore through her being nonetheless.

_We can never be together._

Her breath snagged, her shaking arms folding around her ribs as she tried to somehow keep the thoughts and the emotions from spilling out – _conceal it, Elsa, you can't let him know_ – but like always, her magic betrayed her. And before she knew it, ice crackled across the floor, spreading and spreading until it reached the walls, and all around them snowflakes were blowing in flurries as the wind picked up, and why oh why had she not realized it sooner? How was it possible that she hadn't realized just how deeply she cared about him?

That somewhere deep inside her icy heart, there was a blossoming seedling of love?

Suddenly, he was there, reaching out to her, and when his hands came to rest on her shoulders, everything changed.

In that single moment, she felt his magic brush against hers, drawing a startled, terrified gasp from her lips. And suddenly, time seemed to stand still and spin at the same time, as his thoughts and feelings and memories spilled through her mind in a torrent, mingling and weaving through her own until she had no notion of where his began and hers ended.

She felt breathless in the vastness of his power. Power that shaped the seasons, that tore down mountains, that angered oceans, froze entire continents. That takes life, but also _gives_ it. What was _she_ , truly, against the magic within _him_? A single snowflake in a blizzard, flurrying uncontrollably along the currents…

But there was no reason to be afraid.

Like a gentle, coaxing hand, she felt his limitless magic guiding her own, quieting the panic. A heartbeat, and the rising storm fell away in a hush of soft snowflakes that quickly melted in the summer air.

When it was over, she was against his chest, gasping, clutching onto him for dear life.

His heartbeat thundered in her ears.

"Jack… What… how did you…?"

Her breathless voice demanded what her scattered mind could not yet comprehend.

Slowly, they sunk to their knees, her silk dress pooling around them like spilled ink, while his grasp on her only tightened. He gathered her against him, their foreheads coming to press together, eyes closed as she felt his icy breath brush across her cheek.

"Jack?"

He was shaking.

When he still did not move, did not open his eyes to look at her, Elsa gently laid her fingertips against his cheek, feeling his cold skin against hers.

They were so close, every tiny movement magnified where their bodies were pressed flush together.

Tilting her head ever so slightly, she brushed the tip of her nose against his, coaxing him to look at her, to speak to her – but he suddenly stiffened. She felt his body going ridged against hers, and then he scooped her into his arms and stood up.

"Jack! What-"

But he steadfastly avoided her gaze as he carried her back inside, and gently deposited her on the side of her bed. Without a backwards glance, he turned away, pausing in the doorway as she remained rooted to the spot, imprisoned by his sudden coldness.

He picked up his staff where he'd left it against the door, but only turned slightly to look back at her across his shoulder.

"I should go. Goodnight, Princess."

For a moment, she felt pinned in time, unable to respond, watching him leave as though in slow motion and yet unable to do a thing about it.

A second too late, her voice returned to her.

"No, wait! _Jack!_ "

He leapt off the edge of the balcony, taking to the sky as she rushed back outside, only to catch a glimpse of him against the moon.

She opened her lips, ready to call for him at the top of her lungs, but remembered where she was at the very last moment. No doubt every guard in the vicinity would come rushing.

And he was already gone.

Elsa stood there, entirely dumbstruck as she gazed at the sky. Her whole body was shaking, and her sudden tears made the moon shimmer and gleam even brighter.

And it occurred to her how many nights in her life she had searched the stars for him, waiting for her guardian to come back to her.

* * *

The placid water of the pond seemed to mock him with its silent tranquillity. With a sneer, Jack angrily kicked at a pebble by his feet, sending the rock splashing into the mirror-like surface, breaking the peaceful reflection into gentle ripples.

What was he even doing here? Searching for answers when there were none to be found? This pond would offer him nothing more than the Moon ever did.

Suddenly, a tormented roar tore from him, and he whirled, flinging a spray of crackling ice across the shore. He fell to his knees, staff clattering onto the pebbles. He was quivering, trying to suppress his tempest of feelings.

But being around Elsa, being part of her life once more, it was dragging all sorts of things to the surface – things he'd thought he'd accepted a long time ago.

What did it matter if he'd ever had a family? If, perhaps, he'd once been human?

He'd told her that for most of his life it had been enough to simply accept his name and his purpose. After all, he was Jack Frost, Spirit of Winter – he'd never needed anyone. He'd scoffed at the other spirits who'd yearned for Believers – but he'd never paid any mind to it, never thought much about humans at all…

Until he'd met a little girl, and for the very first time in all of his years, he'd realized just how lonely he'd been all along.

And with her unassuming, childlike wonder, she'd _changed_ him. She might think that he been the one to show her the beauty of her magic – but really, it had always been the other way around. In those decades before he knew her, his life had been empty. He'd had job to do, but he'd never truly felt like he belonged anywhere. She'd changed all of that. He'd never realized he'd been capable of caring for anyone so deeply, until the day she'd _stopped_ believing in him.

A groan escaped the spirit's lips as he pressed the heel of his hands against his eyes.

He was growing so attached to her it was difficult to be away from her even for a few hours, let alone a few days. By the Moon and Stars, he couldn't get her out of his head. He hadn't told her, but when he'd left her that night at the manor, he'd been on his way to this damned pond, to think on their conversation of that night. He'd almost been halfway, when he'd suddenly known he needed to turn back - that something had happened, that she needed him.

He didn't tell her, because he couldn't possibly explain the connection he felt, knowing she might not feel it as strongly as he does.

That she might not feel it _at all._

It was slowly driving him insane.

When he closed his eyes he saw her smiling, tracing a snowflake against the glass, saw her magnificent eyes gazing up into his, saw those same eyes flash with hurt as he _left_.

When he closed his eyes, he was back in her study, and she was in his arms.

How badly he'd wanted to kiss her rosy lips, to see if she tasted like winter.

Jack's fingers clawed into his hair.

He'd been jealous. Actually, truly _jealous_. Of suitors she had not even met – that _she_ had not even met! But the moment she'd told him that her Council expects of her to get married, he'd felt his heart wrench, his blood turn molten.

Because it could never be _him_ , standing at her side.

And then, on her balcony, everything splintered apart. The truth had been there all along, but he'd pretended it wasn't, that it doesn't matter because his feelings for her would be unrequited. He was a spirit, and she was a mortal, and their paths led in completely opposite directions. But how could he continue to lie to himself after what happened? Their magic had fully connected, and he'd even been able to reach out and calm hers...

Like a coward, he'd panicked, so afraid that she'd realized just how much she meant to him, because until that moment, he hadn't fully realized it himself...

That he was _falling in love_ with her.

In the end, it doesn't even matter in which ways he cared for her, or she for him – whether they would only ever be friends, or more. It did not change the truth.

She would grow older, and he would not.

And one day, he'll be left alone, to mourn for all eternity.

A sigh shuddered from his chest, and he settled himself onto the grassy bank, staring at the reflection of the lazy clouds drifting across the sky.

How could he have left her there? Without an explanation, without anything? After everything that had happened the last few weeks, he'd abandoned her without a backwards glance.

_Some guardian I'm turning out to be…_

In the peaceful quiet, Jack felt the Wolf's presence before he saw him.

Amarok ghosted from the shadows of the forest and came to sit beside him, staring out at the pond for the longest time.

Eventually, his gravelly tone spoke in Jack's mind.

_**Would you like to hear a story?** _

"Is it one of your cryptic life lesson stories?"

_**What else?** _

Jack quirked a slow, crooked grin. "Alright, I'm listening."

_**A very long time ago, there lived a man. He was the leader of a tribe, the protector of his people, the one who leaded the hunt. But he was still young, and foolish. And often times, he was cruel.** _

_**One day, his arrogance caught up with him. For months, his tribe had been plagued by wolves, and he decided to go after the leader of the pack on his own. His mind was filled only with the glory that would be bestowed upon him if he returned with the great wolf's pelt – how the people would cheer and see him alone as their saviour.** _

_**And so he went on his foolish hunt, but the great wolf tore him apart, and the man died.** _

_**Only to wake up beneath the full moon. He stood on four legs, a lone wolf beneath the moonlight.** _

_**The man-wolf was livid with anger. He went mad with rage, killing as far as he went, killing the very tribe he had once protected. He despised the curse put upon him, and blinded by his rage, he could not see that he had turned into the very creature he had once set out to kill.** _

_**Until, one day many years later, he met a mortal she-wolf. The man-wolf had been badly wounded from a battle gone awry. But she had saved him. She changed him with her peace, her acceptance of the balance of nature, her reverence to all living things. The man-wolf let go of his cruel ways, learned to respect life. Learned to see its beauties and necessities, and all of its glorious moments.** _

_**And he fell in love with the she-wolf.** _

_**But he was not a mortal. He was a spirit, called upon by the Moon, to bring balance. Winter can be cruel, but Winter also protects. It protects the balance of all things, it gives the world time to restore, to sleep.** _

_**Such was the man-wolf's true purpose. The she-wolf had taught him that.** _

For a long time, Amarok said no more, and Jack could not speak past the lump in his throat. When he finally found his voice, he quietly asked, "She died, didn't she? The she-wolf…"

Amarok turned his noble head to look down at the boy, fixing him in his silver eyes. _**She did. After many mortal years, but still too soon. When she passed, the man-wolf promised to carry on what she had taught him. To protect all living things, to respect the balance of nature.**_

They were quiet once more, and Jack ached for his friend, and for himself.

_**You see, Jack Frost. All mortals must leave this world, and pass to the next. This fact cannot change.** _

Slowly, the Wolf lowered his head, to gently lean his forehead against Winter's shoulder.

 _**But whether you will choose to turn away from your Snow Queen, to spare yourself the pain of her eventual passing, or whether you will embrace the fleeting moment of time you will spend with her – that is something only you can decide.**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note 2: I am working very hard on the next chapter, but oh boy it's going to be a long chapter. And it will still take some time, as I'm writing exams now for the following month. But please know I will see this story through to the end, so even if it takes long for me to update, I'm not abandoning it! I hope you guys liked this chapter! If you have time, please consider leaving me some feedback :)


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